Abbotsford – In June 2023, the City of Abbotsford was dealing with a major homeless camp causing issues on Lonzo Road (near the interchange of Highway 1 and Highway 11).
From FVN June 2023: Once the encampment has been vacated, construction will begin on a new 50-bed shelter that will be temporarily located at the site. The new shelter will replace the existing 40-bed Riverside Road shelter and allow the Riverside shelter to be replaced by a new permanent supportive housing building, adjacent to Cole Starnes Place.
“We are taking action to provide much-needed shelter and housing for people experiencing homelessness, and to support their safety and stability in Abbotsford,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing
People living in the encampment have been notified that they must vacate the site.
Fast forward to October 2025 and the temporary facility on Lonzo Road has been shut down (permit expired) as all the residents were moved to units on Riverside Road.
BC Housing prepared an update for FVN: The Province has identified Abbotsford as a community that is urgently in need of more housing for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness. The latest Point-in-Time Count, conducted in October 2025, identified 654 people experiencing homelessness in the community.
As of Oct. 10, 2025, there were 226 active shelter beds in Abbotsford. As of Oct. 31, 2025, the Lonzo shelter in Abbotsford with 50 spaces will close operations to allow for building removal by the end of November, required for Highway 1 corridor work. All guests at Lonzo shelter have already been relocated.
We are working on plans with the City of Abbotsford and community partners to deliver over 240 new beds and supportive homes in Abbotsford in the next few years.
The homeless and encampment response and temporary housing solutions (HEART & HEARTH) programs are about taking action: helping people move indoors quickly, with the supports they need to stabilize and rebuild their lives. Abbotsford is a priority community for these initiatives, complementing the existing shelter system with 111 spaces already opened.
The Province, through BC Housing, has nearly 93,600 homes delivered or underway, including approximately 1,230 units in Abbotsford since 2017.
More information on the Lonzo Shelter can be found here: Abbotsford – Lonzo Road Shelter | Let’s Talk Housing BC.
Dismantling Lonzo Road should be complete by November 2025.
