National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Environment Canada issued sweeping alerts for Vancouver Island this week predicting the coldest weather of the year as arctic air and frigid temperatures descend along its east coast.

Yet the homeless in Parksville and Qualicum Beach have nowhere to seek warmth from the deep freeze after the region’s only cold weather shelter was closed last March.

Rev. Christine Muise of OHEART — a coalition of nine churches in the region that ran the shelter — has been advocating for a solution for close to a year after the shelter at St. Anne’s church had to close because the facility was inadequate to meet COVID-19 concerns.