Calgary Transit shuttles help hundreds find shelter during frigid weather
Outreach volunteers offer help to the homeless on a -20 C night in Calgary. (File: Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
Officials with a multi-year pilot project that helps Calgary's homeless find shelter during blasts of cold weather say the initiative is paying dividends.
According to the City of Calgary, nearly 200 people were transported to emergency shelters in Calgary Transit shuttles in the past week as part of the Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response program. There have been approximately 600 trips made since the end of November.
The four-year pilot program is led by the Calgary Homeless Foundation and the city committed $2.3 million to the intitiative from its Community Safety Investment Framework fund.
As part of the program, transit peace officers and Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership (DOAP) team members identify Calgarians in need of reprieve from the cold, and Calgary Transit shuttles then ferry them to emergency shelters.
"LRT stations are not appropriate places to seek shelter because they do not have the necessary amenities like beds, potable water or restrooms, nor do they have the resources to support peoples' wellbeing," said Will Fossen, deputy chief of transit public safety.
"Our city's shelters have been operating at around 75 per cent capacity so far this winter. Demand increases during extreme weather conditions, but they have enough space to accommodate everyone that needs it."
Anyone who encounters a person in need of help should contact the DOAP team at 403-998-7388 or call 911 if the person is non-responsive or in serious distress.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'No concessions' St-Onge says in $100M a year news deal with Google
The Canadian government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act that will see the tech giant pay $100 million annually to publishers, and continue to allow access to Canadian news content on its platform. This comes after Google had threatened to block news on its platform when the contentious new rules come into effect next month.
Here is what Canada's drug shortage situation looks like right now
Compared to the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, Canada experienced an uptick in prescription drug shortages in 2022 that Health Canada says has continued throughout 2023.
Ontario doctors disciplined over Israel-Gaza protests
A number of doctors are facing scrutiny for publicizing their opinions on the Israel-Hamas war. Critics say expressing their political views could impact patient care, while others say that it is being used as an excuse for censorship.
Musk uses expletive to tell audience he doesn't care about advertisers that fled X over hate speech
Billionaire Elon Musk said Wednesday that advertisers who have halted spending on his social media platform X in response to antisemitic and other hateful material are engaging in "blackmail" and, using a profanity, essentially told them to go away.
opinion
opinion Don Martin: With Trudeau resignation fever rising, a Conservative nightmare appears
With speculation rising that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will follow his father's footsteps in the snow to a pre-election resignation, political columnist Don Martin focuses on one Liberal cabinet minister who's emerging as leadership material -- and who stands out as a fresh-faced contrast to the often 'angry and abrasive' leader of the Conservatives.
U.S. says alleged murder plotter was directed by India and mentioned B.C. killing
U.S. officials have charged an Indian national in a plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on American soil – in a case they say is connected to the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia.
Manslaughter charges laid against man accused of trafficking gun to teen who killed Edmonton police officers
A 19-year-old man accused of trafficking a firearm to the 16-year-old boy who killed two Edmonton police officers has been charged with manslaughter.
'We wish we could've reached that kid earlier,' says online educator about boy's suicide after apparent sextortion
The chat may seem innocuous at first. The victims, often young men or boys, start communicating with someone posing as a young girl, typically on the popular social media platforms Instagram and Snapchat. But with sextortion, which occurs when people are blackmailed for money or sexual favours, 'sextorters' convince them to share a sexual photo or video.
Kraft debuts dairy-free mac and cheese in the U.S.
The Kraft Heinz Co. said Wednesday it's bringing dairy-free macaroni and cheese to the U.S. for the first time. The company said the new recipe has the same creamy texture and flavor of its beloved 85-year-old original Mac & Cheese but replaces dairy with ingredients like fava bean protein and coconut oil powder.
Edmonton
-
'Toxic and abusive': Former staffers accuse Jennifer Rice of bullying while councillor dodges questions
Rookie Edmonton city councillor Jennifer Rice is refusing to respond to allegations that she bullied, belittled and yelled at staff members; claims the mayor says are "deeply concerning" and worthy of investigation.
-
Manslaughter charges laid against man accused of trafficking gun to teen who killed Edmonton police officers
A 19-year-old man accused of trafficking a firearm to the 16-year-old boy who killed two Edmonton police officers has been charged with manslaughter.
-
Dow to begin construction of $11.5-billion carbon neutral project at Fort Saskatchewan site in 2024
Petrochemical giant Dow Chemical is going big in its decarbonization efforts at its site in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., with help from the provincial and federal governments.
Vancouver
-
BREAKINGBREAKING B.C. constructing clinical space beside St. Paul's Hospital so patients can access MAID
The provincial government is constructing a new clinical space adjacent to St Paul's Hospital so palliative care patients who choose to undergo medical assistance in dying or MAID don’t have to be loaded into transfer vans or ambulances and driven elsewhere to get the end-of-life procedure.
-
Attorney general, premier's comments 'tread on interference' with the justice system, B.C. law society says
B.C.'s attorney general recently made comments in the media and online that "risk undermining the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system," according to a letter published by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
-
Airbnb renter whose grease fire set off sprinklers in Vancouver highrise can't be sued by insurer, court rules
An Edmonton man who accidentally started a grease fire while staying in an Airbnb in a downtown Vancouver condo, setting off the building's sprinklers, cannot be sued for damages by the strata corporation's insurer.
Atlantic
-
Halifax police investigating discovery of human remains in Armdale area
Police in Halifax say they are investigating after human remains were found in the Armdale area Tuesday.
-
Slow shelter: U.S.-made homeless structures still on hold in Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia civil servant overseeing delivery of 200 small heated shelters for the homeless is pointing to the need for community "buy in" and proper access to services such as washrooms before they are installed.
-
Man rescued from Moncton dumpster
A man had to be rescued from a Moncton dumpster that was emptied into a garbage truck Wednesday morning.
Vancouver Island
-
Attorney general, premier's comments 'tread on interference' with the justice system, B.C. law society says
B.C.'s attorney general recently made comments in the media and online that "risk undermining the public’s confidence in the criminal justice system," according to a letter published by the British Columbia Branch of the Canadian Bar Association.
-
Climate activists to unveil 'massive' ice sculpture at B.C. legislature to coincide with COP28 summit
Climate activists in Victoria say they will deliver a "massive" ice sculpture to the B.C. legislature Thursday as part of a protest against the province's liquefied natural gas industry.
-
Vancouver Island volunteer group helps students in Ukraine
Ukraine has now been at war with Russia for more than 640 days. “It’s so stressful,” said Anna Terbiak, a Grade 11 student in the west of Ukraine.
Toronto
-
Woman in hospital with life-threatening injuries after being rescued from highrise fire in North York
A woman has life-threatening injuries after being pulled from a highrise fire in North York.
-
15-year-old boy charged in alleged armed carjacking in North York
A 15-year-old boy is facing several charges for his alleged involvement in an armed carjacking in North York.
-
Households in Ontario are more food insecure than ever before, finds new U of T report
Nearly one in five households in Ontario is struggling to put food on the table, according to a new study.
Montreal
-
Quebec may backtrack on university tuition hikes, increase by 33% instead: report
Quebec seems ready to back down from its plan to double tuition prices for university students outside of the province in exchange for more ambitious francization programs at English-speaking universities.
-
Common Front leaves meeting with province without a deal, wants to give negotiation a chance
The leaders of the Common Front of public sector unions didnt' say much after a meeting with Treasury Board President Sonia LeBel late Wednesday afternoon in Quebec City.
-
EMSB cancels high school mid-year board exams with more strike days on the horizon
The province's largest English-language public school board says it is cancelling all high school mid-year board exams due to the ongoing public sector worker strike in Quebec.
Ottawa
-
CHEO staff honoured by Ottawa Fire Services for courageous efforts during Ottawa Hospital fire
Ottawa Fire Services are recognizing hospital staff after a fire broke out at the Ottawa Hospital General Campus last month.
-
Here is Ottawa's winter weather outlook
As Ottawans brace themselves to find out if the canal will reopen this year, El Niño might have other plans.
-
Big and bright: Embracing a maximalist Christmas
Have you decorated your home for Christmas yet? Many are going all-out this year, fully embracing the season, with a 'maximalist Christmas.'
Kitchener
-
Kitchener seeing a gradual increase in tiny homes
There's been a gradual increase in building permits for backyard homes in Kitchener. But these tiny homes aren't necessarily small.
-
Safety concerns over Weber St. crossing in Waterloo
Residents are raising concerns about a busy crossing on Weber St. in Waterloo.
-
Waterloo man charged in alleged romance scam worth more than $2 million
Police in Waterloo, Ont. have arrested a 49-year-old man they say posed as a CSIS agent and pursued romantic relationships with dozens of women, ultimately defrauding them out of more than $2 million.
Saskatoon
-
'We cannot keep spending': Saskatoon councillors say budget falls short of savings goals
After two days of discussing the 2024-2025 budget, some councillors are concerned about the lack of progress made.
-
Sask. will send women who need urgent breast cancer tests to Calgary
To address wait times, the provincial government announced they will be sending women who need urgent breast cancer tests to Calgary.
-
Saskatchewan Rush prepare for season opener
The Saskatchewan Rush are gearing up for the 2023/2024 regular season opener with nearly a dozen new faces on the roster, and a new logo to go along with them.
Northern Ontario
-
'No concessions' St-Onge says in $100M a year news deal with Google
The Canadian government has reached a deal with Google over the Online News Act that will see the tech giant pay $100 million annually to publishers, and continue to allow access to Canadian news content on its platform. This comes after Google had threatened to block news on its platform when the contentious new rules come into effect next month.
-
Sudbury senior killed in Hwy. 69 crash Tuesday
A 65-year-old from Greater Sudbury was killed in a single-vehicle crash just after midnight Tuesday on Highway 69.
-
North Bay’s top cop announces retirement, search on for replacement
After four years as top cop, North Bay Police Chief Scott Tod is retiring, the local police board announced Wednesday.
Winnipeg
-
RCMP search for suspect who set fire to home with children inside
Manitoba RCMP is searching for a suspect who set fire to a home in West St. Paul with young children inside.
-
True North wants six month extension to decide on sale of Portage Place Mall
True North’s real estate wing is asking for a six-month extension on a plan to buy and redevelop Portage Place Mall.
-
'We need to address the violent crime in Manitoba': Province's homicide rate nearly triple national average
Grim new statistics show Manitoba once again has the highest homicide rate per capita in all of Canada.
Regina
-
Sask. will send women who need urgent breast cancer tests to Calgary
To address wait times, the provincial government announced they will be sending women who need urgent breast cancer tests to Calgary.
-
Pro-Palestinian rally at Regina railyard sees police response, arrests made
A pro-Palestinian protest in Regina sought to disrupt rail traffic in the city’s centre on Wednesday.
-
Regina Battery Depot fire deliberately set, fire department says
A fire that caused significant damages to the Regina Battery Depot was deliberately set, according to the city's fire department.
