---
title: "Overnight shelter opens in Coquitlam with 20 beds and a hot meal"
description: "An overnight shelter with 20 beds has opened at the former Riverview Hospital site in Coquitlam, operated by Progressive Housing Society and running nightly from 8 pm to 7 am through March 31."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/bc/coquitlam-2026/news/tri-cities-overnight-shelter-coquitlam-november-2026"
last_updated: "2026-11-04T16:49:48.480Z"
---

An overnight shelter with 20 beds has opened for people experiencing homelessness in the Tri-Cities, with Coquitlam as one of the pickup points, the Tri-Cities Dispatch reported on November 3.

Progressive Housing Society operates the shelter at Səmiq̓wəʔelə, the former Riverview Hospital site in Coquitlam. It runs from 8 pm to 7 am nightly and includes a hot meal for guests.

## Who it serves and how to access it

Walk-ins are not permitted. Guests must be picked up at one of three transit-accessible locations: Lincoln SkyTrain, Christmas Way at Pheasant Street, or Kingsway at Jane Street.

Progressive Housing Society describes the shelter as a community effort. "This temporary shelter program is more than just a refuge from the harsh winter weather; it's a community effort dedicated to supporting and uplifting individuals facing homelessness," the society stated in a release quoted by the Tri-Cities Dispatch.

The society also says the shelter helps guests beyond the overnight stay. "We provide connections to healthcare, mental health resources, and help with housing applications, aiming to address the broader needs of our guests," it stated.

The shelter is open through March 31.

## Why it opened now

The Tri-Cities previously relied on a rotating group of churches that offered overnight shelter over fall and winter. That program stopped the year before because demand had grown beyond what the churches could handle.

The toxic drug supply was part of the reason. Rev. David Cathcart of Trinity United Church explained in a letter to the City of Port Coquitlam, quoted by the Tri-Cities Dispatch, that the situation "makes a 12 hour stay in a shelter (that is not equipped to be a safe use site), impossible for people who need to use throughout the night."

There is a year-round shelter at 3030 Gordon Avenue in the area, but the Tri-Cities Dispatch reports it is generally at capacity with an encampment outside.

## What residents should know

The shelter site at Səmiq̓wəʔelə is inside Coquitlam, and two of the three pickup points are in Coquitlam. The pickup model means people are met at a known transit stop rather than walking to the site on their own.

Residents who know someone who needs a place to sleep can direct them to the pickup locations. The shelter opens each night at 8 pm and closes at 7 am. It runs through March 31.

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/bc/coquitlam-2026/sitemap.md) for all pages.