REGINA - Funding is confirmed for an indoor warming space at Carmichael Outreach in Regina, and a warming bus will be set up this week until the indoor space is ready to open later on this month.
In a news release Monday, the City of Regina confirmed that a one-time grant is coming to Carmichael Outreach from the city and the province’s Ministry of Social Services to ensure a warming space is available this winter. City council had approved $100,000 in new funding for the City’s Cold Weather Strategy, and an additional $200,000 grant is coming from the Ministry of Social Services.
Those funds will go to operate Carmichael Outreach’s planned overnight warming space for 50-80 persons, which they plan to open by mid-January. The plan is for this warming space to be located at Carmichael Outreach’s location in the Heritage neighbourhood of Regina. The funding would allow it to be open in the overnight hours.
With forecasts of frigid temperatures by week’s end, the City states it is “cognizant of the immediate need among our most vulnerable residents and will be working with the Downtown Regina Community Support Team to support a warming bus located in front of Carmichael Outreach later this week, in time for the extreme drop in temperatures.”
That warming bus will be operational until the indoor warming space is available. More details will be coming in the next few days on operating hours.
This announcement from the City of Regina comes in the wake of growing calls from community members in recent days in support of funding for a warming space at Carmichael Outreach. Last Thursday, supporters from the Good Trouble Network YQR had organized a news conference in which they called for an overnight warming shelter to begin operating immediately in the city.
In December, during the city’s 2024 budget deliberations, council approved a 0.03 per cent mill rate increase dedicated towards supporting Cold Weather Strategy initiatives.
“The City of Regina is grateful to partner with the Province of Saskatchewan in supporting this additional warming space for our community,” said Mayor Sandra Masters in a statement issued Monday. “We are committed to continually improving access and services for residents during cold weather events”.
“We are pleased to assist in making this important initiative possible through a $200,000 grant from the province to support the City of Regina’s Cold Weather Strategy,” said Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky in a statement. “Through this collaboration, more vulnerable people in Regina will have access this winter to supports needed to assist them on their path to achieving stability and stable housing.”
