With winter temperatures in Calgary expected to dip into the mid-minus 20s, the City of Calgary is taking steps to protect vulnerable Calgarians.
Last year, a string of bitter cold days prompted emergency relief plans to protect many unhoused Calgarians. The City put $750,000 into the Calgary Homeless Foundation last year to expand hours of operation at different shelters and improve outreach to citizens in this community.
Temperatures are forecast to dip into the mid-minus 20s overnight over the next few days, with a slight warming to a steady overnight low of -15 into mid-December.
In cooperation with social agency partners, Calgary will be offering free shuttle services from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2 between select LRT stations and the Drop In Centre and Alpha House between 8:30 p.m. and 1 a.m.
More warming spaces will be added at five locations across Calgary, with hours ranging from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will add 200 spaces, bringing it to 335 at 10 locations across Calgary. A list of warming stations has been made available.
The Salvation Army Mobile Warming Station will also be rotating to different LRT stations, seven days a week between 1-4 p.m. A list of those locations can be found here.
The City said Wednesday that shelter space is available. Occupancy rates are around 80 per cent, they said.
“”We want to ensure that anyone who needs help can get it,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
“We’ve been working extensively with our partners at the Calgary Homeless Foundation, local shelters and community groups to offer services that will get individuals access facilities that have the capacity, teams and resources in place to best support them.”
If you see anyone who needs help during the cold snap, please call the DOAP Team at 403-998-7388.
