As the city waits for two social housing projects to open their doors in November, new funding will provide temporary shelter in the meantime.

The B.C. government has committed $257,600 to run 85 shelter spaces from now until Oct. 31.

“Even though we accelerate things, we sometimes find gaps and our job is to fill those gaps while we try to get to the next stage,” said Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman.

The announcement came on the same day the Coalition to End Homelessness released new figures that show shelter use is on the rise.

There’s been a 6.6 per cent increase in the number of people using shelters over the last year, according to the coalition. That represents 67,595 shelter stays in 2009, a number that’s also on the rise.

The new funding will supply 15 shelter beds at Streetlink on Store Street available 24/7, and 30 night-time mats for men at the Salvation Army Chapel on Johnson Street.

The money will also fund 40 low-barrier mats at the Church of Saint John the Divine, the only shelter where pets and shopping carts are permitted. Typically, this shelter is only available in winter months. It closed for the season on April 30.

“It allows us to deal with the public face of homelessness,” said Mayor Dean Fortin.

The funding addresses street disorder until 200 units of permanent social housing are completed, he said.

During Wednesday’s press conference at Streetlink Emergency Shelter, Coleman also reaffirmed his commitment to renovate the building.

In January 2008, B.C. Housing promised funding for social housing projects at 525 Ellice St. and 950 Humboldt St. It also pledged money to convert the Streetlink shelter into permanent social housing units.

This week, the province committed $4 million toward the construction of 23 new units at Streelink. They’ll join 26 pre-existing units in the building’s upper floors. Construction will begin once a new shelter opens on Ellice Street.

Executive director Kathy Stinson said the money was expected, “but it’s exciting nonetheless that the funds are going to be in place because that’s always a bit of a question until it actually happens.”

Coleman said Victoria can likely expect another funding announcement for a new social housing project this summer.

rholmen@vicnews.com