'No one will be turned away': Calgary shelters see influx of clients during cold snap

Calgarians struggle to keep warm in cold weather conditions. (CTV News)

It's all hands on deck at Calgary shelters right now, as officials try to make sure the city's most vulnerable are housed, fed and have enough clothing to keep them warm.

CALGARY DROP-IN CENTRE

Calgary Drop-In Centre (DI) president and CEO Sandra Clarkson says the extreme weather conditions have placed "significant challenges" on their operations over the past few days.

Clarkson says the DI has increased its capacity and is trying to make sure everyone who needs help can get it.

"This includes opening additional sleeping spaces in the building, providing extra blankets, food and warm clothing," she said.

The DI is also offering extended supports to ensure everyone's basic needs are met.

"No one will be turned away," Clarkson said.

"We are experts in crisis management. It is what we do best, and we know that any crisis can appear chaotic. Learning from past events is key to improving our response and preparedness. We do not have all the answers, but what we do have is a willingness to adapt."

Clarkson said staff at the DI always rise to the occasion.

"They are dedicated, caring and compassionate and make every effort to ensure 24-7, low-barrier access for those that need support."

ALPHA HOUSE

Officials with Alpha House Society say the shelter hit about 95 per cent capacity from Thursday into Friday morning, adding that the Human-centered Engagement Liaison and Partnership (HELP) team (formerly DOAP) did transport people to the shelter in an emergency shuttle.

"Our outreach teams continue to respond to calls for service throughout the city and are transporting people to both Alpha House and the Drop-In Centre," said Alpha House in a statement.

"We greatly appreciate concerned citizens looking out for our vulnerable population and calling our HELP team when they see someone outside in these dangerous temperatures."

To contact the HELP team, you can call 403-998-7388.

INN FROM THE COLD

At Inn from the Cold, officials say they experience consistent demand throughout the year, regardless of the weather.

"Our dedicated team is working diligently to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families, ensuring they have a safe place to stay during these challenging weather conditions," said a statement sent to CTV News.

"We are committed to the well-being of our community members and appreciate the ongoing support from our partners and volunteers in this critical effort."

THE MUSTARD SEED

Samantha Lowe, senior director of shelter operations at the Mustard Seed, says staff try to accommodate as many people as possible, whether it is too cold out or too hot.

"We get those extreme temperatures in both our summer and our winter seasons," she said.

"When that happens, we try to accommodate more, considering whether it's the food that we give out, the clothing that we give out and even the space."

The Mustard Seed operates two shelters in Calgary: a 40-bed women's shelter and a 370-bed adult shelter in the Foothills industrial area.

Lowe says the Foothills shelter had 401 people on Thursday evening, which meant they were at 108 per cent capacity.

"Which is significant," she added.

The women's shelter had 44 people, putting it at 110 per cent capacity.

"So from a shelter operational standpoint, we will go above and beyond and accommodate individuals if we need to."

Lowe says the Mustard Seed participates in "warm handoffs" with other agencies if it’s unable to accommodate the person.

"We're really appreciative of being able to work with other agencies in the city, such as the Drop-In or Alpha House, who have been absolutely wonderful during this time and do warm handoffs for safe sleeping at night."

'MORE THAN ENOUGH EMERGENCY SHELTER SPACE': NIXON

Speaking in Edmonton on Friday, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon said Calgary and Edmonton have "more than enough emergency shelter space."

"Last night alone, we were at 94per cent capacity in both of those cities, well below the max capacity," he said.

"Nobody will ever be turned away from our emergency shelter programs. We have invested more money in emergency shelters than any government in the history of the province. We will continue to do that."

Nixon said "Calgary is one of the only large cities anywhere in the country that is seeing the homeless population go down."

In a statement, Matt Nomura, vice-president of strategic investments and community impact, said "as of Calgary Homeless Foundation's last Point In Time count in September of 2022, this was accurate."

"Homelessness is complex and many factors are influencing increases to homelessness across the country," Nomura said.