SASKATOON -- The Lighthouse North Battleford shelter will close April 1 due to a lack of funding, Lighthouse Supported Living executive director Don Windels told CTV News.
Twenty-two part-time and full-time staff received lay-off notices on Friday, he said. One worker will stay on.
The shelter had space for 37 people. The Lighthouse will try to find new housing for them, Windels said.
“It’s still a harsh reality. Lives are going to be affected.”
The shelter depended on around $500,000 in core funding from the Provincial Metis Housing Corporation (PMHC), which directs cash from the federal Reaching Home program.
It cost a total of $750,000 to $800,000 annually to operate, Windels said.
The PMHC is instead prioritizing capital spending for housing in the north and believes shelters should be the province’s responsibility, Windels said.
Windels also said shelters should receive provincial core funding.
In a news release, Official Opposition NDP Leader Ryan Meili called on Premier Scott Moe ensure proper funding to keep the North Battleford Lighthouse open.
