Two Saskatoon community groups open overnight warming centres

Two community organizations in Saskatoon are teaming up to offer warm spaces for the city’s homeless residents to stay out of the cold overnight.

Prairie Harm Reduction will offer its space as a warming centre from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night, with a capacity for about 60 people. After 10 p.m., the Salvation Army will provide an overnight warming centre at the nearby St. Mary’s Church hall, with a capacity for 80 people.

The Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) provided $483,000 to fund the spaces through a federal government grant, according to SHIP news release.

“This investment will help the most vulnerable in Saskatoon by ensuring they have a safe place to keep warm during cold winter nights,” Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal said in the release.

SHIP says the Salvation Army “will provide contingencies” if the overnight space reaches capacity.

The two community organizations have also committed to directing those experiencing homelessness to daytime services, SHIP says.

“We would like to acknowledge and thank St. Mary’s leadership and their congregants for their generous support to the individuals and families experiencing homelessness by providing use of their church hall, without which many lives would be at risk due to exposure,” SHIP said in the release.