An announcement of a new temporary winter shelter for people experiencing homelessness was made Wednesday, with an agreement between the government of Saskatchewan, the City of Regina, the Nest Health Centre and RT/SIS.
“Regina has very much a need for, especially during the winter months, an emergency shelter that prioritizes trauma,” said Erica Beaudin, executive director of the Regina Treaty Status Indian Services (RT/SIS).
The 40-space temporary shelter is scheduled to open on Jan. 30. It will close at the end of April.
It was with very mixed emotions Beaudin spoke about the new shelter.
“This is hopefully our last year where we will be having a temporary emergency shelter for this high population in Regina,” Beaudin said. “I don’t want to say I’m excited, because who’s excited about having to provide this type of service? However, I’m looking forward to being a partner in providing care, comfort and shelter for the most vulnerable in our city.”
With the opening of the new shelter, the city’s warming bus will be closed.
“The warming bus was a very temporary measure to keep people alive,” Beaudin explained. “It was a last-ditch solution or intervention in order for people who are cold on the streets to jump on the bus and to be warm.”
Regina mayor Sandra Masters said the warming bus was ideal for emergencies, but providing an actual bed and a roof over their head is the end goal and a far better option for both the city and the homeless population.
And while the temporary measures put in place are great for right now, both Beaudin and Masters want to see more permanent shelters opened in Regina.
“As soon as we open this one, in February we will be looking forward to figuring out a more permanent shelter,” Masters said. “That is something we will be collaborating on with the provincial government to determine the future on this.”
“We know it is temporary this year. How do we not make it temporary again.”
Regina city manager Nikki Anderson said on average the warming bus had about 14 occupants every night.
“The emergency shelter should exceed by far anything that the warming bus could do,” Anderson explained. “Knowing we have the 40 beds at the shelter, we are predicting we won’t need the warming bus anymore.”