Regina brings back warming bus while city searches for temporary shelter

The City of Regina will revive its warming bus for the city's frigid winter nights while it continues to search for a temporary shelter to house the community's most vulnerable populations.

A city bus dedicated to hosting Regina's population experiencing homelessness shut down services Monday morning, less than a month after its inauguration on Nov. 11. It will return seven nights a week beginning Thursday at 9 p.m. and run until 9 a.m.

In the following days after it was shut down, the city hit record lows: on Tuesday the temperature dropped below –35 C and nearly reached –36 C on Wednesday, the coldest temperatures recorded by Environment Canada for Dec. 6 and 7.

Mayor Sandra Masters told Stefani Langenegger, host of CBC's The Morning Edition, that while the Awasiw warming shelter, operated by All Nations Hope Network, is providing protection from the cold for people in North Central between 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. CST, "there are folks in heritage neighbourhood where there seems to be a real absence of warming space."

A Thursday news release from the city said the bus is bring provided because of "a critical shortage" of overnight warming spaces, and was reinstated after an overnight space meant to accommodate those using the bus reached capacity.

"We'll bring [the bus] back until we're available to finalize and secure some renovations on a temporary shelter," Masters said.

LISTEN | Mayor Sandra Masters on issues of support for Regina's population experiencing homelessness

The bus locations and times may change, but it's scheduled to visit:

• Knox Metropolitan Church at 2340 Victoria Ave.

• YWCA at 1940 McIntyre St.

• Salvation Army Waterston Centre at 1845 Osler St.

• Carmichael Outreach at 1510 12 Ave.

Masters added that the city is working with the provincial government to find a more permanent shelter for next fall.

Searching for temporary shelter

Last year, the city secured a lease on a 40-bed shelter with food, showers and social supports for residents, operated by Regina Treaty Status Indian Services.

The shelter was an alternative to a tent encampment, known as Camp Hope, that housed more than 100 residents at one time and was later ordered to disband.

Masters said that the city is working with a local organization in search of shelter space this year, but is having difficulty securing a location.

Some people have been found dead outside in the cold this winter, including one in Saskatoon that led to a vigil and calls for affordable and accessible housing.

According to the Saskatchewan Coroners Service, 14 people died from hypothermia or exposure in 2021-22.

Masters said the city is lobbying the federal government for money to be put toward affordable housing and shelters.

Vulnerable populations accessing available services

Advocates have consistently been calling for more supports and services for people experiencing homelessness.

Masters said that after being a part of a conference of mayors from larger cities, she's found serving the vulnerable population is an issue across the country.

On Oct. 4, a Saskatoon woman named Angela Andrews who had lived at Camp Hope died from a bug bite infection while living on the streets.

Andrews' mother said there aren't enough services for those without homes and called the response a jurisdictional hot potato.

In response, Masters said it may seem like hot potato, but suggested the provincial government needs to help lead people to the services, which the city provides.

Masters also said about 50 per cent of people at Camp Hope weren't accessing available services offered through the province — stating that substance use and social housing services are under the purview of the provincial government.

Masters said "you can't force people to access services that they don't want to access," but later added some people aren't able to access the spaces because they don't meet certain requirements.

"I think that having folks being able to access health care and able to access social housing, which is available, is part of the problem; however if there's not the wraparound supports for them while they're in the home it just leads to more problems and potential evictions," Masters said.