With the colder months fast approaching, shelters across Saskatchewan are hoping to pick up the pace to meet service demands.
The YWCA of Regina is still seeking a permanent home for its 30-bed space, currently housed at All Nations Hope.
“Our current temporary shelter space, we have until the end of October, so our timelines are incredibly tight and we don’t yet have a location secured. There’s a lot of work that needs to happen between now and Oct. 31,” said Melissa Coomber-Bendtson, CEO of YWCA Regina.
Earlier this year, the City of Regina almost settled on a location for another emergency shelter, at one of two locations on Albert street. However, at council, the motion was shot down. When brought back up at the Aug. 21 meeting, council voted to push the discussion to the next meeting.
Mayor Sandra Masters says council is still working on a solution.
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“I’m pretty confident the commitment is there from council, I think you’ll hear a report on a viable option coming forward in September. This just buys administration a little bit of extra time, there’s the costing and the building upgrades and those types of things,” Masters said.
In a statement to Global News, The Mustard Seed, a non-profit organization that was set to open a shelter space in Saskatoon this year, said it too is still working with the city and the province to finalize a location.
Social services minister Gene Makowsky said for now, he has faith in the temporary options offered by both cities and their additional warming centres.
“You’re always working, it’s not a situation where (it’s) mission accomplished – it’s an ongoing process to try and help vulnerable people across our province,” he said.
He added that more announcements on shelter spaces are yet to come.
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