Glenn Hilke called for action on the delayed opening of emergency shelters in Kamloops at the end of the Nov. 1, 2022, inaugural council meeting.

(LEVI LANDRY / iNFOnews.ca)

A homeless advocate and service provider voiced his frustrations at the new Kamloops council's inaugural meeting last night.

Glenn Hilke stood at the close of the meeting, demanding the City ensure winter shelters are opened immediately.

"They are sick, and they are broken, and they need our help," Hilke said. "I ask you to please address this as the number one priority as you begin your work because it impacts all of us."

The City had two locations arranged for winter shelters this year, which were slated to open open yesterday, Nov. 1.

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Canadian Mental Health Association, which already operates two of the city's shelters and several other supportive housing sites, announced it would not operate this year's additional winter shelters.

The City and B.C. Housing have been scrambling to find an operator since the news broke last week.

Hilke, the lead coordinator at The Loop outreach centre, voiced his frustrations and demands to the new council at the end of the ceremonial council meeting, just after mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson struck the gavel.

Hamer-Jackson then responded by reminding Hilke, and the audience, that one of his first priorities is to address homelessness and the drug crisis in Kamloops.

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During his inaugural speech, Hamer-Jackson said he wanted to start a mayor's taskforce to "deal with addiction, mental health, street crime, emergency shelters, outreach and recovery centres."

It was one of several mayor's taskforce teams he wants to launch.

"I drove down to city hall this morning and there was 11 out there. I believe we've got them sheltered in the Emerald Centre," Hamer-Jackson replied to Hilke. "It's going to be one of the number one things. I think you heard (in my speech) my taskforce team."

Hilke said he believes Hamer-Jackson's "heart is in the right place," but he'll continue to put pressure on city hall to demand people without shelter get the services they need to survive.

"Although there are some incumbents that are particularly responsible for the situation we are in right now, ... it should be the number one priority to look after the weakest, the people who are most broken, the voiceless people who will not go home to a warm bed because there are many of them. And we let them down," Hilke said in an interview after the close of the meeting. "It's a human right to have shelter, and they deserve it." 

Hilke's outreach centre, The Loop, continued to operate through the COVID pandemic, handing out food to the homeless and other outreach services. At 405A Tranquille Road, it's also been the centre for controversy as it's been accused of attracting drug users and drug dealers to the area.

However, Hilke and his volunteers opened the building to emergency shelter use when a cold snap struck the Kamloops area last year. He hasn't confirmed whether The Loop is prepared to do so again.

"I'm going to continue tomorrow to make sure that there's shelter for people," he said.

The emergency shelters at the former Yacht Club and the former Stuart Wood Elementary School were expected to open their doors last night but are yet to open as planned.

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