A temporary shelter with success in housing homeless people has received a setback with Port Coquitlam's decision not to renew its permit.
Many city councillors are concerned the shelter, which housed 145 men and 26 women last fall and winter, is creating problems for the neighbourhood and voted down the permit, preferring to see a return to a temporary winter mat program that ran in different churches in the Tri-Cities.
Clearly these concerns deserve more investigation to ensure that they are warranted and while moving the shelter around has its merits in requiring Port Moody and Coquitlam to share the burden of sheltering the region's homeless, there are also risks in going back to the old way.
First, it's not as convenient and, therefore, won't be as successful in sheltering people. Second, time is short for getting a revamped project running.
Significant help and support are needed to ensure the successful program doesn't get mired in red tape - and homeless people don't left out in the cold.
