Over the coming weeks, the number of indoor day spaces available for Calgary’s unhoused population will be increasing, following the activation of a third year of the Extreme Weather Response Program (EWR).

That program, which was originally called the Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response, came about as a result of emergency Calgary City Council funding in 2021.

Now in year three of five, the program has been able to provide the essentials of life during extreme cold weather, but also wraparound supports that have helped unhoused Calgarians off the streets and into homes.

“We’re a well-oiled machine with great partners like Aboriginal Friendship Centre. The key, always, is the warming centre is just a tool for engagement—to invite people to other services, because we know nobody actually wants to live outside. As much as people might think that is, that’s not true,” said Patrica Jones, CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation.

“It’s to create a warm handoff, so they can go into a warming center, maybe smudge, speak to an Elder, learn about services, and get support or a shelter or somewhere to sleep, and understand how to get housing.”

A well-oiled machine to address a yearly problem

One of the biggest changes that has come about from the EWR program was no longer having to scramble to address cold weather that comes every year, said Jones.

“We live in Calgary, so every year we would all panic on October 31 saying, ‘Oh my god, it’s going to be cold, what are we doing?’ So kudos to city council to be more proactive,” she said.

“I think some of the key pieces is the collaborative nature of Calgarians and our partner agencies. Everybody parks whatever they need to park to ensure people stay warm and get services they truly do.”

That has turned the program into a well-oiled machine that is able to proactively address needs throughout the winter, Jones said.

“There’s a stand up meeting every single week, so it might be we’re seeing more people experiencing homelessness this part of the city, so that’s redeployed there. So there’s pivoting that goes on and on and on,” she said.

“Even though somebody might go to Aboriginal Friendship Centre, or be in a Salvation Army mobile pop-up, or be over at Journey Church, or be at the Alex or be at Woods Homes, they’ll get the same experience.”

Last winter, the Aboriginal Friendship Centre opened a first-of-its-kind warming centre that was designed to meet the needs of Indigenous Calgarians specifically.

Shane Gauthier, CEO of the Aboriginal Friendship Centre, said that space allowed unhoused Indigenous Calgarians to come to a safe and welcoming space, smudge, have bannock and tea, and be connected to non-Indigenous services.

“They do not really feel safe to go into a non-Indigenous spot, or go into another agency or even a shelter, because they experience racism,” he said.

“They also are suffering from trauma, transgenerational trauma. So, when the Aboriginal Friendship Centre opens a warming centre, it’s not just a place where they can come in and warm up, it’s actually a place where they can seek support through a cultural lens.”

Warming centres the starting point to getting some Calgarians into housing

As a pair of examples of how that work has supported individuals in Calgary, Gauthier said that support has made people comfortable to connect with the community in a safe and ethical way.

“A community member came in last year, and she was homeless and encountering and experiencing addictions and so on, but now she lives in our Elders’ Lodge. Now she’s part of the CUPS program,” he said.

He said the second example was two Indigenous individuals from Winnipeg, who had spent many years looking for each other and were able to re-connect as a result of both being at the warming centre.

“When folks come to our warming centre, they also talk amongst each other. They don’t have cell phones or ways to connect,” he said.

He said that the Aboriginal Friendship Centre is also part of Aboriginal Alert, which allows the warming centre to keep an eye out for Indigenous individuals when they go missing.

Jones said that against the backdrop of larger issues like the increases in rental prices, a housing affordability crisis, and the drug crisis, there was a limit to what warming centres could do in their scope of influence.

“So I would say within the scope of our influence, there’s been massive change. I think even this year, we’ve had less media interest because people know that we’re just operating,” she said.

“I would tell you, from talking to our shelter partners, they’re seeing more folks come into the shelter who are open to accessing services. So, I think we’re increasing people’s readiness for being open to services.”

This year’s capacity aim for the EWR program is 400 concurrent spots, available throughout the daytime for anyone experiencing homelessness.

For more information on the program, see www.calgaryhomeless.com.