Siloam Mission, 300 Princess Street (SILOAM.CA)
WINNIPEG — As outside temperatures plummet, a new pop-up shelter is boosting capacity to house the city’s homeless population.
The City of Winnipeg and End Homelessness Winnipeg-Reaching Home are contributing $265,000 to fund a temporary expanded shelter at Siloam Mission this winter.
The shelter will be staffed by Siloam Mission, 1JustCity, Main Street Project, and Sunshine House.
“We need to get people out of bus shelters and connect them with appropriate supports,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “This funding will help ensure everyone in Winnipeg has a safe, warm place to go during extreme weather periods, delivering on our shared commitment to build a stronger city where every individual is valued, supported, and protected.”
The pop-up shelter will operate daily from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. and provide community members with snacks and coffee, as well as activities such as games and art kits.
The city says the decision to open the shelter will be made three days in advance based on three factors:
- The overnight temperature “feels like” -10 C or colder
- All emergency shelters are consistently full (N’Dinawemak, Main Street Project, Salvation Army, Siloam Mission, and Just a Warm Sleep)
- A minimum of four staff are present
“We’re excited to be hosting this important initiative made possible thanks to collaboration in our sector to make sure that there’s a space for everyone as these months get colder,” said Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, CEO at Siloam Mission. “This short-term solution is needed this winter, but I hope in future winters we’ll have seen the investment and construction of housing units so that it is not needed.”
