A warming tent pilot project is set to provide temporary shelter for 91大黄鸭鈥檚 population experiencing homelessness during cold weather this winter.
The initiative is a partnership between the City of 91大黄鸭 and 91大黄鸭鈥檚 Gospel Mission (KGM).
鈥淭his tent is a temporary measure, intended to provide a reprieve to cold weather to no more than 50 individuals sheltering outdoors,鈥� Kevin Mead, bylaw services manager, explained at a media event on Wednesday (Dec. 4).
The tent is located adjacent to the city-designated outdoor sheltering site (OS4) in the 800 block of Weddell Place. It will be equipped with chairs and tables, heated with forced air, and well-ventilated. Operating hours are from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. nightly, and it will be staffed and managed by KGM.
Individuals using the tent must acknowledge a code of conduct, and substance use will not be permitted. The site will also be monitored by security personnel and closed-circuit cameras.
鈥淢isbehaviour will not be tolerated, and the RCMP will be dispatched as required to address any concerns,鈥� Mead added.
The tent's activation will depend on the city鈥檚 extreme weather response plan, which is guided by daily weather forecasts. If temperatures drop for an extended period, the city will declare an emergency response event 96 hours in advance, categorizing it into three levels:
- Level One - feels-like temperatures between 0 C and -9 C;
- Level Two - feels-like temperatures between -10 C and -19 C;
- Level Three - feels-like temperatures below -20 C.
鈥淣ew this year, when a Level Three response is declared, the tent and warming bus operations will expand to 24 hours a day,鈥� Mead explained.
The warming buses, which began as a pilot project two years ago, will complement the tent during extreme weather. The tent will not be accessible unless it is staffed and operated by KGM in accordance with the designated response levels.
KGM Executive Director Carmen Rempel emphasized the importance of the program in mitigating harm caused by extreme cold.
鈥淭he plan for the warming tent was thoughtfully created, with every detail reflecting our commitment to conscientious care,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen we care for the most vulnerable among us, we weave a stronger, more compassionate fabric for our entire community.鈥�
Rempel expressed gratitude to the city for supporting the initiative.
91大黄鸭 currently has 315 emergency shelter spaces, which are approximately 95 per cent occupied, according to Mead. As of Dec. 2, the seven-day average of unsheltered individuals in the city was 231, with 129 staying at OS4. 鈥淟ast year at this time, the December average was 199,鈥� Mead noted.
A third temporary transitional housing site is planned for 3199 Appaloosa Road but is not expected to be operational until the first quarter of 2025. Two other sites, offering 60 tiny homes, opened earlier this year.
The warming tent will remain in place until March 31, 2025.
