Powell River – 7104 Barnet Street

Aerial view of Barnet St and Ontario Ave intersection with green pin, buildings, trees, and organization logos.


BC Housing, the City of Powell River and Lift Community Services are working together to develop a 40-bed temporary shelter at 7104 Barnet Street in Powell River. As part of the Toxic Drug Crisis Response, the qathet Overdose Prevention Site that previously operated at 4752 Joyce Avenue will be co-located on the property for the duration of the temporary shelter.

The urgent need

There is currently an urgent need for shelter spaces in Powell River. The 20-bed shelter at 4752 Joyce Avenue was the only emergency shelter in the city before it closed indefinitely in March 2025. Since then, the community has faced a gap in shelter services, and former shelter guests are now sheltering outdoors. BC Housing and Lift are currently engaging with more than 50 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Powell River.

The Barnet Street shelter is considered a temporary shelter project because we plan to keep it open only until permanent shelter spaces and additional supportive housing can open in Powell River. The proposed new building at Joyce Avenue near qathet General Hospital includes approximately 20 permanent shelter spaces and 43 supportive homes, some with added Complex Care Housing services.

The site at 7104 Barnet Street has been earmarked for permanent affordable rental housing following closure of the temporary shelter project at a future date.

Barnet Street shelter details

The City of Powell River owns the property at 7104 Barnet Street and plans to lease the site to BC Housing. No rezoning is required for this land use. Site work would start following the signing of the lease agreement. We plan to start construction in September 2025 and open the shelter later this fall.

The Barnet Street shelter will use modular construction and provide 40 safe, secure spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Powell River. It will be open 24/7, year-round.

Lift will have experienced staff on site 24/7 to manage the shelter and provide services to shelter guests. Support services will typically include:

  • Meals
  • Secure personal storage
  • Laundry facilities
  • Washroom and shower access
  • Connections to community-based services
  • Support with accessing permanent housing

Toxic Drug Crisis Response

In line with the Province of British Columbia’s Toxic Drug Crisis response, the qathet Overdose Prevention Site will be co-located on the 7104 Barnet Street property for the duration of the temporary shelter.

Funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and operated by Lift, the qathet Overdose Prevention Site provides urgent, life-saving overdose prevention and response services. There will be a standalone trailer and outdoor inhalation support. These will be available to shelter guests and community members from 9am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Services will include a Peer Recovery Navigator that can support participants to connect with stabilization and recovery services that align with their health and wellness goals.

Safety and security

Shelters are an important part of community safety. Having shelters in a community means there are fewer vulnerable people sheltering outdoors. This increases people’s personal safety and well-being and contributes to community safety overall.

Safety and security features at the shelter will include:

  • Staffing: Staff will be on site 24/7 to support shelter guests. We will share a direct phone number for the shelter with neighbours when it is available. Staff commit to working with shelter guests and the surrounding community on an ongoing basis to address any safety concerns quickly and collaboratively.
  • Design features: The shelter will incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design including fenced grounds, controlled access, 24/7 staffed reception, security cameras and lighting.
  • Property maintenance: Lift will manage and maintain the shelter building and property as any other neighbour would. Staff will conduct regular sweeps of the property to ensure cleanliness.

Connect with us

A caring community can contribute greatly to the success of people transitioning out of homelessness.

We will share updates and keep lines of communication open throughout this project.

For questions and comments about the temporary shelter, please email BC Housing at communityrelations@bchousing.org.

For questions and comments about the overdose prevention site, please email Vancouver Coastal Health at toxicdrugresponse@vch.ca.


BC Housing, the City of Powell River and Lift Community Services are working together to develop a 40-bed temporary shelter at 7104 Barnet Street in Powell River. As part of the Toxic Drug Crisis Response, the qathet Overdose Prevention Site that previously operated at 4752 Joyce Avenue will be co-located on the property for the duration of the temporary shelter.

The urgent need

There is currently an urgent need for shelter spaces in Powell River. The 20-bed shelter at 4752 Joyce Avenue was the only emergency shelter in the city before it closed indefinitely in March 2025. Since then, the community has faced a gap in shelter services, and former shelter guests are now sheltering outdoors. BC Housing and Lift are currently engaging with more than 50 people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Powell River.

The Barnet Street shelter is considered a temporary shelter project because we plan to keep it open only until permanent shelter spaces and additional supportive housing can open in Powell River. The proposed new building at Joyce Avenue near qathet General Hospital includes approximately 20 permanent shelter spaces and 43 supportive homes, some with added Complex Care Housing services.

The site at 7104 Barnet Street has been earmarked for permanent affordable rental housing following closure of the temporary shelter project at a future date.

Barnet Street shelter details

The City of Powell River owns the property at 7104 Barnet Street and plans to lease the site to BC Housing. No rezoning is required for this land use. Site work would start following the signing of the lease agreement. We plan to start construction in September 2025 and open the shelter later this fall.

The Barnet Street shelter will use modular construction and provide 40 safe, secure spaces for people experiencing homelessness in Powell River. It will be open 24/7, year-round.

Lift will have experienced staff on site 24/7 to manage the shelter and provide services to shelter guests. Support services will typically include:

  • Meals
  • Secure personal storage
  • Laundry facilities
  • Washroom and shower access
  • Connections to community-based services
  • Support with accessing permanent housing

Toxic Drug Crisis Response

In line with the Province of British Columbia’s Toxic Drug Crisis response, the qathet Overdose Prevention Site will be co-located on the 7104 Barnet Street property for the duration of the temporary shelter.

Funded by Vancouver Coastal Health and operated by Lift, the qathet Overdose Prevention Site provides urgent, life-saving overdose prevention and response services. There will be a standalone trailer and outdoor inhalation support. These will be available to shelter guests and community members from 9am to 8pm, 7 days a week. Services will include a Peer Recovery Navigator that can support participants to connect with stabilization and recovery services that align with their health and wellness goals.

Safety and security

Shelters are an important part of community safety. Having shelters in a community means there are fewer vulnerable people sheltering outdoors. This increases people’s personal safety and well-being and contributes to community safety overall.

Safety and security features at the shelter will include:

  • Staffing: Staff will be on site 24/7 to support shelter guests. We will share a direct phone number for the shelter with neighbours when it is available. Staff commit to working with shelter guests and the surrounding community on an ongoing basis to address any safety concerns quickly and collaboratively.
  • Design features: The shelter will incorporate Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design including fenced grounds, controlled access, 24/7 staffed reception, security cameras and lighting.
  • Property maintenance: Lift will manage and maintain the shelter building and property as any other neighbour would. Staff will conduct regular sweeps of the property to ensure cleanliness.

Connect with us

A caring community can contribute greatly to the success of people transitioning out of homelessness.

We will share updates and keep lines of communication open throughout this project.

For questions and comments about the temporary shelter, please email BC Housing at communityrelations@bchousing.org.

For questions and comments about the overdose prevention site, please email Vancouver Coastal Health at toxicdrugresponse@vch.ca.