It may seem like the summer weather just ended, but Winnipeggers are getting ready for the inevitable winter freeze-up — a tough time for everyone, but especially those without a home.
End Homelessness Winnipeg’s latest street census found there were more 2,400 people in the city experiencing homelessness — the highest number ever recorded in Winnipeg — and experts believe there could be a lot more.
At Siloam Mission, the shelter has been full most nights over the past two years, regardless of temperature, but interim CEO Julianne Aitken told Global Winnipeg Siloam is expecting a very busy winter.
“It’s not weather-dependent anymore, which really speaks to the needs of the community,” Aitken said.
“In summer, if you’re unhoused, you can use public spaces and you can walk through parks and you can spend time outside.
“In winter, that’s not a viable option. We’ll definitely see an increase in people using out drop-in space. We saw over 5,000 unique individuals using our drop-in space last year and we anticipate that to increase this year.”
Main Street Project’s Cindy Titus told Global Winnipeg her organization is focusing on the transition from summer to fall, and preparing for the winter months.
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That means having a pair of outreach vans on city streets throughout the winter for those who need it.
“Both of those vans provide support city-wide, 24/7, all throughout the city of Winnipeg — taking care of people primarily living unsheltered,” Titus said.
“… folks living in encampments and other spaces.”
Titus said having a second van on the road during the winter can be crucial in keeping people alive during extreme cold.
Mark Stewart of Winnipeg’s Salvation Army Centre of Hope says preparing for the winter months is largely about making connections with the city’s homeless population.
“We know that winter is coming, so we’re starting to change some of our services around to get people in from the cold.”
“As we’ve seen people in the community though out the summer, we want to continue to build relationships with them,” Stewart said, “so when it does get cold, maybe we’ve built enough trust that they feel comfortable coming in the building.”
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