Edmonton approves funding to keep day-shelter spaces open
The city approved $4 million on Tuesday from the reserve fund to keep day-shelter spaces open through next winter.
The funding is an extension of money paid by the city during the pandemic to expand the number of spaces at Bissell and Boyle Street Community Services after homelessness doubled during the pandemic.
The Bissell Centre's community space offers a number of services to those who need them.
"Showers, laundry, they provide access to social workers, health care, and also connections to mental health care as well," said Christel Kjenner of the City of Edmonton. "And those services are really important for people who are experiencing homelessness to try and attain housing, attain employment."
"The spaces can serve more than one person throughout the day, so it could be, you know, 500 to 1,000 people served by a space in a day," said Coun. Anne Stevenson.
Stevenson admits it's not enough to meet the needs of the approximately 3,000 people who live on Edmonton streets.
"If we had not made this funding available today, it would have been worse. So, again, if we can picture it being worse than last year, that’s nothing that any of us want to see," she said.
"We want to do so much more than we’re currently offering, but we just can’t. There is no money," said Coun. Keren Teng.
Despite approving the funding, the city says maintaining shelter spaces is a provincial responsibility, adding they will be pressuring the new government to step up after the next election.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Minister 'outraged' after AFN national chief's headdress taken from Air Canada cabin
The federal minister of Crown-Indigenous relations is calling on Air Canada to 'make things right' with the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, who said her headdress was removed from an airplane cabin during a flight this week.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Canada recognizes housing as a human right. Few provinces have followed suit
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.