Winnipeg is seeing its first snowfall of the season accompanied by freezing temperatures, which means demand for winter clothing and emergency shelter has spiked.
At Siloam Misson, with 143 of their beds, is at capacity, and according to communications manager Luke Thiessen, demand for all the shelter services are up from pre-pandemic years.
He says more affordable housing options are needed to reduce demand and protect vulnerable people during dangerous conditions.
“Especially in a city like Winnipeg with our weather realities and our cold winters, being outside overnight for any extended period of time is just not safe,” he adds.
Winnipegger Angela-Sacciente-Moreira has been staying at the shelter for about and month and a half. She told Global News there is less in the clothing room than years prior and she would really like some nice winter clothes.
“I need ski pants and boots that won’t get wet — waterproof, really good insulation, the ones with the grey padding in it,” she said.
Executive Director Tessa Whitecloud said another demand that has grown over the years is the need for shelter for women.
“Because during the pandemic as people tightened their bubbles, a lot of women that would have been experiencing hidden homelessness are now in absolute homelessness.”
Whitecloud said not everyone chooses to use a shelter and would prefer to be in encampments and the shelter supports them in any way they may need. Additionally, she said it is no longer required for people to be sober at Siloam. Instead they are behaviour-based, which allows them to help more people.
“That has really helped people feel like they can come and enter our space but of course, you need to be able to fall asleep in a room with a hundred other people and so that’s a challenge too,” she said.
“It’s really about having this diversity of options and making sure we are supporting people no matter what their choice is.”
Meanwhile, the executive director at St. Boniface Street Links, Marion Willis, said her organization is not ready for winter but they are working on getting a usable building from the city for use as a shelter.
“There is no place for people on the other side of the river. People on the other side of the river, they are outside in wet tents with wet blankets and wet clothing,” she said.
Willis said she has been working with the city since May to secure a viable building that can be used as a shelter but she has yet to hear confirmation for one.
“We are kind of working together to try to figure out what we need to do to make it meet code to the extent where it can be safe for us to be there.”
The Salvation Army in Winnipeg is preparing for the winter by adding 60 new bed spaces for newcomers as well as adding 35 cold-weather shelter beds.
“I think we are sitting just around 380 beds a night right now,” said Mark Stewart, Executive Director at the Salvation Army.
Stewart said the shelter never shuts down and is open 24/7 for anyone who may need support.
Additionally, outreach support is underway making sure people who are struggling in the cold are getting the help they may need.
People can help by donating clothing items, food, and other such necessities to the shelters, as well as volunteering and donating monetary support. Additionally, making sure people who are struggling know where they can go for help.