Carmichael Outreach says it needs $350K for overnight warming shelter, advocates say need is urgent

Regina advocates for people who are homeless are calling for immediate funding for a 24-hour warming centre at Carmichael Outreach. 

Carmichael, a charity in Regina's Heritage community that provides services to people experiencing poverty and homelessness, said it's currently aiming to open a warming centre that would run from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., seven days a week.

The shelter is needed because an existing warming centre in the North Central neighbourhood is too far for many in the Heritage community to walk to, Carmichael says.

The charity is hoping to open the warming centre as soon as possible and keep it open until May, but says it needs $350,000 to do that. Part of the money would go toward hiring five staff members to work in the warming centre.

But during a news conference near the Carmichael property on Thursday, community advocates said the homeless population cannot wait for funding to come. 

Tiro Mthembu, community organizer and homeless advocate in the Heritage neighbourhood, said people are struggling out in the cold.

"We are so tired of hearing how lucky we are that the weather's been nice," said Mthembu. "Tell that to our most vulnerable that have been living rough. We've had several deaths over the last few weeks in our community."

Mthembu — who works with the community advocacy group Good Trouble Network YQR — said opening the warming centre is vital to the safety of those in the Heritage area. He said there are enough community volunteers and cooks ready to step up and keep the centre going until more funding comes in.

"I feel strongly that they could open now. And it just comes down to us working together as a community to pressure all levels of government to seek out further funding," said Mthembu.

He said the volunteers come from all walks of life, including the faith community, the Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre, the North Central and Heritage communities and community fridge organizers.

"There's been work done tirelessly throughout the last several years. I hope that we can work in solidarity with Carmichael and make this happen to help save lives."

Roadblocks to opening

Meanwhile, despite having both the space and the licence, Carmichael Outreach said it cannot open its warming shelter without the $350,000.

"We're working with partners and we are trying to get it done as fast as possible, and we do already have a plan and stuff in place," said Tyler Gelsinger, Carmichael's executive director.

"So if someone did just donate $350,000 to us, we're pretty much ready to go through with the whole hiring process and just getting the train going. But until then, there's not really much we can do at this time."

Gelsinger said getting the warming centre operating immediately would not be a simple task.

"It would require dedicated staff rather than slowly relying on volunteers. Carmichael has been working with local churches through the warm welcome collaboration and communicating with various partners to get something like this started."

Mthembu said volunteers like him are dismayed that the homeless population have few warm-up options at this point in the winter season.

"Last year we had a warming bus. We don't even have a warming bus this year. What does human life cost us in our community? I think that we have to prioritize our most vulnerable being treated with dignity and respect," he said, calling on different levels of government to fund the centre.

"So frankly, the funding, we know that the money's out there. It's just the political will that we have to push."

Gelsinger said Carmichael Outreach has had conversations with the province about the warming centre, and that the government has provided advice.

In a statement, NDP social services critic Meara Conway said homelessness is out of control in many of Saskatchewan's large centres.

"If Premier [Scott] Moe and [Social Services] Minister [Gene] Makowsky aren't going to do something about the Sask. Party's taxes on food and fuel or the SIS [Saskatchewan income support] program — all of which is making homelessness worse — the least they can do is listen to the Regina community and support this overnight warming space," the Opposition MLA said.

During Regina's budget debates in December, conversations at council indicated that city administration is currently in negotiations with some non-profits to operate a cold weather shelter, but it is not clear if that would involve Carmichael Outreach.

In a statement to the CBC on Friday, the Ministry of Social Services said it is a partner in the city of Regina's cold weather strategy.

"The City of Regina will be providing more details regarding a warming space once they become available," the ministry's statement said.