vilevi / Depositphotos.com
EDMONTON — Alberta is putting a record 220 million dollars into shelter spaces and homelessness supports this year, including funding earmarked for a shelter in Fort McMurray, as the province prepares for another winter of extreme cold.
The province says all government funded shelters now offer 24-hour access and that demand typically sits at about 75 per cent capacity for much of the year. With temperatures dropping, an additional 1.8 million dollars is being spent to operate hundreds of temporary winter shelter spaces in communities across Alberta.
Officials say the goal is to ensure no one is left outdoors during freezing weather. The province has also worked with shelter operators to create contingency plans that would allow capacity to be expanded quickly if needed.
Jason Nixon, minister of assisted living and social services, said the investment is aimed at protecting vulnerable Albertans during the coldest months. Shelter providers, including Hope Mission and the Cold Lake John Howard Society, said the additional funding will help save lives, particularly in northern regions where temperatures can reach minus 40.
The province also continues to operate Navigation and Support Centres in Edmonton and Calgary. The centres bring services such as ID assistance, shelter referrals, housing navigation, financial supports and mental health and addiction resources together under one roof. The centres have assisted more than 16,000 people since opening in 2024 and have made more than 90,500 connections to critical supports.
The government says it will keep working with shelter operators and front-line agencies to ensure communities have warm, safe spaces available through the winter, including a shelter in Fort McMurray
Comments