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The doors to a new emergency shelter are to open at 10 a.m. Monday to house at least some of those who have been living at Core Community Park in Camp Hope.
“Unfortunately there is no pleasure in this announcement because the reason for us being here this morning is people are cold, they’re homeless, they’re houseless and they need supports,” Erica Beaudin, the executive director of Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services (RTSIS), said Friday.
RTSIS is the group running the new shelter.
Beaudin said she’s pleased with the partnership and relationships that have developed trying to fix this problem.
“This is the first time that we feel that an incredible community response is coming together to address one of the most terrible situations such as life and death,” said Beaudin.
“When you’re dealing with the types of homelessness or houselessness, when you’re dealing with the types of incredible very serious drug use and abuse, the food insecurity, this requires all of our efforts and it requires all of our efforts together.”
The shelter will have individual cubicles to allow the residents some privacy, as well as shower services, places to get meals and places to get spiritual services.
The City of Regina will be taking care of the lease for the shelter for six months, and Beaudin said it won’t just be a place for people to stay.
“During that time in the six months, we’ll be working with individuals on a case-by-case basis in order to move them into appropriate and longer-term housing so that they have homes as opposed to a place to sleep at night,” said Beaudin.
The shelter is being opened to help house people who have gathered in a tent community in Core Community Park. Between 100 and 150 people were believed to be staying in the camp, but the shelter only has 40 beds.
Beaudin said other shelters will continue to do their work while this new shelter is open and her organization will work to help those who are left.
The streets of Regina aren’t safe for anyone, according to Beaudin, until everyone is working together.
“We see this, once again, as a community solution and we’re stepping up and doing our part and we expect and we look forward to and are optimistic that other sectors in the City of Regina – private business, government, community-based organizations, private citizens — do their part as well,” Beaudin said.
“We are all in this together. None of us are going anywhere, and it’s up to each and every one of us to provide safety and security on these streets.”
Shylo Stevenson has been Camp Hope’s spokesperson, and he said people in the camp are anxious about the indoor facility. He said this is uncharted territory.
“This is better than what we had,” he said. “Of course, there’s always room for improvement but we’ve asked for help and it’s here. And the people that are going to take advantage of the help, we’ll see those numbers come through. For the people that aren’t ready for this next step of moving inside, we’ll be there to support them no matter what.”
Camp Hope has relied on donations and help from the community and Beaudin said in the next week or two they’ll be figuring out how people can continue to help with the shelter once people move indoors.