Latest news with #emergency shelter
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
IN PICTURES: Regina's new permanent emergency shelter set to open
WATCH: New permanent emergency shelter will go into operation on July 28 following months of planning and deliberations. Wayne Mantyka reports. After months planning and deliberations, Regina's new permanent emergency shelter will go into operation next week. The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in the city. Expand Autoplay 1 of 16 Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) An official opening ceremony was held on Friday, with Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski outlining what the facility will provide. 'It offers not just a shelter but connection. Three meals a day, access to wellness and cultural supports and the kind of care that truly helps people begin again,' he explained. The shelter replaces a temporary facility in the former YMCA building downtown, with all the programs there moving over to the new facility. Regina shelter The New Beginning Shelter is a 50-bed facility and will offer wraparound services to a growing number of homeless people in Regina. (Gareth Dillistone / CTV News) 'Not only are folks having a safe place to stay but that cultural component and addictions awareness to work alongside the shelter, so in essence I think today just represents [a] milestone from being in a temporary operation to permanent operations,' Natasha Kennedy, the executive director of Regina Treaty Status Indian Services said on Friday. The $6.8 million shelter is funded by the three levels of government. It was built in a record time of just 18 weeks but was met with some resistance from neighbouring businesses. Discussions will be ongoing to make certain any concerns are addressed. 'That's not a one and done type of thing. The expectation from all parties involved is that everybody will be consistently communicating to make sure that if challenges arise, we have a mechanism to handle that,' Bachynski said. The new shelter is the same size as the facility that it is replacing. There is no time limit as to how long people can stay but the goal is to provide services needed to help people successfully transition into the community.
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
New permanent shelter to open in Regina on July 28
Regina's new emergency shelter was unveiled on Friday, showcasing 50 permanent shelter beds and a host of programming facilities for the city's homeless population. The new facility, called the New Beginnings Enhanced Emergency Shelter, sits on the old Eagles Club location in the Heritage neighbourhood. The shelter will be officially opened to the public on July 28, replacing the current temporary shelter at The Nest Health Centre on 13th Avenue. After transferring its current clients to the new location, the temporary shelter, also called New Beginnings, will shut down. "Having that sense of permanency allows for us to continue to expand and better embed ourselves in how we service our vulnerable community members," said Natasha Kennedy, whose organization, Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services, will run the shelter. According to the most recent point-in-time count in October 2024, there were 824 homeless people identified in Regina. That was an increase of 255 per cent from 2015. New Beginnings will offer all of the same services provided at The Nest, including addictions support and cultural programming. Its kitchen will serve clients three meals a day, and provide showers, bathrooms, laundry services and a common area. As it is replacing the 50 beds offered at The Nest, New Beginnings will not be adding any new shelter beds to the city's total capacity. The shelter won't turn people away if all of its beds are occupied, said Kennedy. Instead, it will try to make arrangements for them with other shelters and care facilities. "We understand that folks come with multiple barriers and challenges. And some of those challenges are people in active use" she said of the centre's low-barrier design, which provides privacy for each bed space but does not have floor-to-ceiling walls separating them. "This allows for us to work with them if they are looking for treatment or if they're looking for other support, if we're looking at addressing harm reduction." The opening comes after years of public consultations, negotiations among city officials, and pleas from community advocates about where to build the centre. The location on Halifax Street, which sits one block north of the Regina Police Services headquarters, was selected after a 9-to-2 vote at Regina city council in September 2024. The total cost of the shelter is $6.8 million. The federal government provided $3 million through the Federal Transit and Housing Fund and an additional $1.1 million through its Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampment Initiative. The provincial government guaranteed another $3 million as a forgivable loan. For its part, the City of Regina will cover the centre's $1 million annual operating costs. It will also own the building. "It's the signal that this is something we take seriously," said Regina mayor Chad Bachynski.
CTV News
23-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Women's shelter in Goderich receives almost $600k from Ontario government
The emergency shelter at Huron Women's Shelter Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services. (Source: Huron Women's Shelter Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services) On Wednesday, the provincial government announced a $45 million investment to support community non-profit organizations. One of these organizations is the Huron Women's Shelter Second Stage Housing and Counselling Services, located in Goderich. The shelter, which supports women and children impacted by gender-based violence, is receiving just under $600,000 over the next three years to introduce an innovative housing model. The funding is provided through the Ontario Trillium Fund, and will support 140 non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities and small municipalities. Along with the women's shelter, other recipients include Durham Youth Housing and Support Service, Food for Life in Halton Region and YMCA of Three Rivers at Camp Belwood. To receive the grants, non-profit organizations can apply for grants of $100,000 to $600,000 over two to three years. The grants are used to improve, expand or adapt an existing program or service. Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming said it's vital to help non-profit groups benefit communities across the province. 'Whether it's helping seniors stay physically active and learn new skills or connecting young people to their communities through the arts, non-profit organizations across Ontario deliver programs and services that make a real difference in people's lives,' said Cho.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Summerside approves new family shelter, but more services still needed, says non-profit
A path has been cleared to allow for the construction of a new family emergency shelter geared toward women and their children in western P.E.I. Summerside council voted unanimously Monday night to rezone a portion of the city to allow LifeHouse to expand its services by building a new five-bed shelter. Shelby Pitre, the outreach co-ordinator for the organization, said the current shelter is often at capacity. LifeHouse, which is run with support of BGC Summerside, had to turn away around 80 women in 2024 because it was full. "This rezoning for the shelter is absolutely incredible," Pitre said. "It just provides safety and security to women who wouldn't have had it otherwise." Pitre said the expansion will add the shelter's first accessible room, and will offer both transitional and permanent housing options. 'Sad statistic' JP Desrosiers, Summerside's chief administrative officer, said he was surprised to hear how many women had been turned away from the shelter last year. "As a resident and a representative of the City of Summerside, it's a sad statistic," he said. "I'm glad to see a local community group like the BGC to step up and provide services." While the city hasn't opened shelters itself, Desrosiers said council has been supportive of the operators that have. "I think, generally speaking, they're all doing a good job," he said. "I think that's noticed by the nearby residents, when we have a rezoning like [Monday] night and virtually no commentary to the contrary at all." Elysha Whitlock, executive director of The Village Summerside, a non-profit dedicated to helping the vulnerable and unhoused population, echoed Derosiers' sentiments about LifeHouse. "It's absolutely heartbreaking to hear that high volume has been turned away," Whitlock said. "They can only do what they're able to do, and with the high volume they have helped, it's completely understandable that they just don't have the space." She said The Village Summerside recently helped a woman and her child with a damage deposit on a rental home after they'd spent 18 days at a motel. "You don't necessarily see unhoused families in park settings. Just because we're not seeing it, does not mean it's not there," she said. "Everybody's really struggling right now, and we've had to accept the fact that we've started assisting with damage deposits." Whitlock said Summerside needs to have different types of support. She's advocated in the past for low-barrier shelters that serve people in active addiction, but said that can't always be possible "Ideally in the future, perhaps there could be an option to open a low-barrier, strictly women's shelter for those females who aren't necessarily comfortable in a shelter environment," she said. "For now, I think we've made great strides... and I am absolutely thrilled to hear the news of the new family emergency shelter opening up." Staff with LifeHouse said they aren't sure when the new shelter will open, but that ideally they'd like to have it up and running by next year.
