A Surrey councillor wants to see more shelter space for the homeless and in particular for the elderly.

Brenda Locke said Surrey desperately needs it, the city has less than 50 emergency weather beds and could use between 130 to 150.

“I don’t know why it isn’t easier to open some of the city’s resources,” Locke said.

And another concern she said she’s noticing more and more are elderly people ending up on the streets.

“And it’s pretty devastating when you’re seeing seniors who are in wheelchairs that obviously have major health challenges and those people are trying to survive outside, it’s unconscionable that we have to deal with that in our city but we do,” Locke added.

She said she’s still trying to figure out why it isn’t easier to open some of the city’s facilities during bad weather.

“Having said that, there are lots of churches and other community facilities that are being opened and some of the non profits are opening their facilities,” Locke added.

The last homeless count in Metro Vancouver showed nearly 700 people were homeless in Surrey.

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