Homelessness

The temporary winter shelter operated by Progressive Housing Society, located at 7320 Buller Avenue (entrance via Prenter Street parking lot) is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

The City's overnight Emergency Warming Centre next door is currently closed and will re-open as required this winter to provide additional capacity.

As the cost of living continues to rise in the region–especially the cost of housing–so does the risk of homelessness. The City of Burnaby has developed a strategy to address housing challenges and opportunities, including reducing homelessness. HOME: Burnaby’s Housing and Homelessness Strategy will guide Burnaby’s decisions on community housing and homelessness over the next decade. The City has also launched a Mayor’s Task Force on Unsheltered Community Members to coordinate efforts to address this complex social issue.

More information provided below.

Building Provider Address Number of spaces Hours of operations Contact
Emergency Shelter Progressive Housing Society 2294 Douglas Road 40 24 hours, 7 days a week 604-522-9669 
Temporary Winter Shelter Progressive Housing Society 7320 Buller Avenue
(Entrance via Prenter Street parking lot)
40 5 pm to 8 am daily, December-April 604-522-9669 
Norland Supportive Housing Progressive Housing Society 3986 Norland Avenue 52 24 hours, 7 days a week 604-522-9669 
Ledger Supportive Housing Progressive Housing Society 4100 Ledger Avenue 43 24 hours, 7 days a week 604-522-9669 
Extreme Cold Weather Response Lookout Housing and Health Society The Neighbourhood Church 7135 Walker Avenue
(1st to 15th of the month)
20 7 pm to 9 am Please check their website for when the extreme weather response is activated.
Extreme Cold Weather Response Lookout Housing and Health Society Westminster Bible Chapel 7540 – 6th Street
(16th to end of month)
27 7 pm to 9 am Please check their website for when the extreme weather response is activated.
Emergency Warming Centre City of Burnaby 7320 Buller Avenue 20 8:30 pm to 8 am Activated when additional capacity is required. Check this page for updates. 

Progressive Housing Emergency Shelter

Address: 2294 Douglas Rd
Website: progressivehousing.net/service/emergency-shelter/

BC Housing opened this 40-bed shelter on City-leased land to provide support for people experiencing homelessness. Run by Progressive Housing Society, the shelter is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visitors will be provided with connections to community-based services and support to transition to permanent housing. For more information on Progressive Housing Society shelter services you can call 604-522-9669 (24 hours). 

A Community Advisory Committee was established to support the shelter’s success, share information and build positive relationships with the community. Membership is made up of representatives from BC Housing, City of Burnaby, Progressive Housing Society, RCMP, Fraser Health and community representatives. If you are a neighbour of the Douglas Shelter and have questions or comments, please call Progressive Housing Society’s neighbour relations line at 604-318-9876 (24 hours).

Temporary Winter Shelter

Address: 7320 Buller Avenue (Entrance via Prenter Street parking lot)
Website: progressivehousing.net

On November 6, 2023, Mayor and Council approved the addition of a 40-bed temporary winter shelter to assist those in need during the colder months. The shelter is a joint partnership between BC Housing and the City of Burnaby, operated by Progressive Housing Society. The shelter’s operating hours are 24 hours, 7 days a week from the same location as the emergency warming centre located at 7320 Buller Avenue. This location will provide sleeping pods for those looking to get out of the cold and connected to various supports. The shelter will operate from mid-December 2023 to April 30, 2024. 

Norland Place Supportive Housing

Address: 3986 Norland Ave
Website: progressivehousing.net/service/norland-place/

BC Housing opened this 52-unit supportive modular housing project on City-owned land to provide housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Progressive Housing Society provides 24-hour staffing and works closely with tenants to connect them to additional services, such as health care and life-skills training. 

Ledger Place Supportive Housing

Address: 4100 Ledger Avenue 
Website: progressivehousing.net

BC Housing opened this 43-unit supportive modular housing project on City-owned land to provide housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Progressive Housing Society provides 24-hour staffing and works closely with tenants to connect them to additional services, such as health care and life-skills training. 

Emergency Warming Centre

Address: 7320 Buller Avenue
Website: burnaby.ca/homelessness

The City of Burnaby will open an emergency warming centre overnight as required to add extra shelter capacity during periods of unusually cold weather. It is designed to supplement the existing shelters and services which already operate in Burnaby for vulnerable people in our community. Once activated, the warming centre will be located at 7320 Buller Avenue, and will be open from 8:30 pm until 8 am until further notice. Check this page for updates.

Community Partnerships

The City works collaboratively with the Society to End Homelessness in Burnaby through its Task Force to End Homelessness in Burnaby, which includes members from homeless serving agencies, RCMP, Transit Police, Vancity, Fraser Health, and interested community members. The Task Force works to address the causes of homelessness, raise awareness of the issue and provide support services for people experiencing homelessness.

The City also participates on the Task Force’s Extreme Weather Response Committee that plans the operations of Lookout Society's Extreme Weather Response Shelter, which operates in southeast Burnaby. They are open from November 1 to March 31 during extreme weather nights as called by the EWR response coordinator. Extreme Cold Weather Response at 7135 Walker Avenue (Neighbourhood Church) is open from the first to the fifteenth of the month and at Westminster Bible Chapel from the sixteenth to the end of the month. For information about activation notices, please contact 604-255-0340 or [email protected].

For information on extreme winter weather response notifications in Burnaby and across the Metro Vancouver region, please see Homelessness Services Association of BC (HSABC) and their Metro Vancouver notification list.


If you have a concern or complaint about homelessness or unsheltered individuals, please contact [email protected] or call 604-420-5070.

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