Boyle Street Community Services closing downtown location at the end of September

Boyle Street Community Services (BSCS) is moving out of its current home, effective Sept. 30.

Elliott Tanti of BSCS made the announcement Tuesday morning.

"Our lease with the owners of the property has ended, and it no longer remains financially viable to stay at this location," Tanti said. "Our main focus at this time is ensuring that we continue to offer our programs and service on October 1 and beyond."

BSCS is currently in the process of constructing a new facility, the King Thunderbird Centre at 107A Avenue and 101 Street, a few blocks from the existing facility at 101 Street and 105 Avenue. It isn't expected to open until fall 2024.

A portion of the funds for the new building was raised by selling the existing building to the Oilers Entertainment Group, who now holds the lease.

King Thunderbird Centre has faced a number of hurdles, including pushback from the community and permit issues.

Tanti said BSCS was presented with an option to stay in the current location but has opted not to accept for financial reasons.

"I'm limited by what I can say in regards to the lease agreement and the real estate deal with the Katz Group. Our position at this point moving forward is that staying here past Sept. 30 is not financially viable for our organization."

Tanti says BSCS has raised 80 per cent of the funds needed for the construction of King Thunderbird Centre from corporations and individuals, and he's calling on all levels of government to provide the remaining $5 million.

He added the organization is still searching for a new temporary home for the dozens of programs provided at the current downtown location.

"This building behind us offers over 30 programs and services, everything from a place for our staff to put down a bag to really intensive case management," Tanti said." We'll be going through on a program-by-program basis to make sure that we've got the appropriate infrastructure to make sure those services are provided —meals, warm clothing, keeping people safe, safe supplies, those types of things — but all of our services are a priority."

Tanti said if BSCS can't find a new temporary home, it will rely on other organizations in the city to help facilitate its services, and there is some contingency funding in place from government.

"We have winter warming money that’s been in place from the city. We'll be operating several day shelter spaces across the city," he said.The province has stepped up in a significant way to ensure … 1,700 shelter beds. That being said, this is a disruption and is not ideal."

The biggest challenge for the organization will be communicating to clients to where the services will be moving.

"Our main focus is making sure those that we serve are aware of this change and are able to get that information to them," Tanti said.

"This has been a home for our community for a very long time. As awful as the building is, as inaccessible as it is, as challenging as it is to work in, for many people over the last 10 years, 15 years, it’s been the only place that they call home, where they feel safe."

CITY, OEG REACTION

Edmonton's mayor says he's disappointed to hear that Boyle Street will be closing the downtown facility.

"This is going to have an impact on the most vulnerable community in Edmonton,"Amarjeet Sohi told reporters on Tuesday. "The city is trying to help them whichever way we can by identifying some locations or looking at the possibility of expediting permitting process or other regulations."

Sohi is hoping to see the provincial and federal governments come through with funding for the King Thunderbird Centre, calling social funding a provincial and federal responsibility.

"The city itself is in a very tough budget going into November."

"We are going into a deficit already, and we would be forced to tap into our own reserves to make up for that shortfall."

The Oilers Entertainment Group says it remains supportive of BSCS and offered to extend the organization's lease at the same rate BCSC was previously paying.

"We finalized the purchase and lease agreement with Boyle Street Community Services for their existing facility in 2021. At the time, they asked for a two-year lease which would end in the fall of 2023 to give them sufficient time to fundraise, build and move into their new facility," OEG executive vice president Tim Shipton wrote in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.

"Earlier this month, we offered an extension of their lease at the same nominal rate as agreed upon in 2021 to allow more time for Boyle Street to coordinate their relocation."

With files from Miriam Valdes-Carletti