Victoria tent city residents bring their personality to transitional housing

Some campers from Victoria's tent city who have been relocated to transitional housing over the past six months say it's helped themget their lives back on track

"Getting back into routine, a regular life, getting up every morning, taking a shower, getting dressed, having breakfastI mean just simple, simple ways of life was a huge plus for me," said resident Shelby Edison.

Seventy people now live at Choices, a former youth custody centre that has been turned into a housing complexjust outside of Victoria.

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Thefacility is runby Our Place Society and funded by the provincial government.CBC was invited inside for a look.

Living quarters

Residents are given the choice tolive indoors informer jail cells or in tents in a yard outside to maintain their sense of independence.

Facilities

The agency provides residents with24-hour support, a professionally staffedkitchen with threemeals a dayand anarts and fitness area.

Future detoxcentre?

According to Grant McKenzie, Our Place Society's director of communications, Choicesis a low barrier facility meaning alcohol and narcotics may be consumed on site in therooms.

He says the hope is thatwhen residents are ready, they will seek help with their addictions.

"We'd like to have them come in here, gothroughdetoxand move into sober living...try and get people so they are walking into a job and employment," he said.

The agency is hoping a detoxification centre can beeventually be set up onsite.