The New Fountain Shelter opened two years ago as part of the city's Homeless Emergency Action Team (HEAT) shelter program. Originally conceived to sleep 27 people, the low-barrier shelter was soon filled to capacity and beyond most every night. Over its two years, the New Fountain has helped get residents into permanent housing, started a successful street soccer team, and kept hundreds of homeless people off the streets at night.

But after the provincial government closed four other HEAT shelters in April, the New Fountain is next on the chopping block—scheduled to close at the end of this month. As activists across the city fight to keep the shelter open, Megaphone goes inside the New Fountain to talk with staff and residents about how the shelter has helped changed people's lives and why it would be so devastating if it did close. 

Also in this issue: David Suzuki tackles humanity's major crisis; Megaphone vendor Bob recounts his brush with death; the BC NDP introduced a poverty reduction bill; an drug user argues in favour of Vancouver's safe-injection site; and we preview with acclaimed Quebec film, 10 1/2.  

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