January 22, 2019
Recently, The Record reporter, Anam Latif interviewed YW Kitchener-Waterloo CEO, Elizabeth on our temporary overflow shelter operating in the midst of extreme cold warnings this week. The temporary overflow shelter at the YWCA on 84 Frederick Street will be open until April. The full article is below.
Extreme cold weather pushes Kitchener overflow shelter over capacity
Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning Monday morning with wind chill values between -30 C and -38 C. The extreme cold warning was lifted by early afternoon, but it was still cold with a high of -14 C and wind chill at -26 C.
WATERLOO REGION — It was so cold Sunday night that the region’s temporary overflow shelter was over capacity.
There were 52 people needing shelter at the overflow space in downtown Kitchener as temperatures plummeted and wind chill values hit -30 C. The shelter typically takes in only 45 people.
“With the situation the way it was, it was very cold. We didn’t turn anyone away,” said Elizabeth Clarke, regional councillor and chief executive officer of YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo, where the overflow shelter is hosted.
It is a temporary solution for when the region’s permanent shelters are full.
“The space itself has a capacity of 50, so 52 does take us over our fire code,” she said.
Clarke said the YWCA has not had to make an exception to go over capacity before. She expected the same situation to arise Monday night as temperatures remained frigid throughout the day.
“That’s a fair bet,” she said. “It’s hard to know until 9 p.m. when people show up but we’re braced for similar numbers tonight.”
Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning Monday morning with wind chill values between -30 C and -38 C. The extreme cold warning was lifted by early afternoon, but it was still cold with a high of -14 C and wind chill at -26 C.
The overflow shelter at the downtown Kitchener community centre has been open since November. It is the region’s latest solution to providing shelter space when permanent shelters are full this winter.
“It’s fair to say in the winter season, for a number of winters now, our numbers are high enough that we will likely need to use some form of overflow,” said Deb Schlichter, the Region of Waterloo’s director of housing.
The region has 195 shelter beds for adults at six different sites that are used year-round. Youth shelter beds are not affected in the same way, Schlichter said.
Once the winter hits, so does the pressure to have enough overflow for homeless and precariously housed adults seeking respite from the cold. Putting up shelter users in motels is an option the region always has available if needed, Schlichter said.
Often homeless adults will shy away from shelters for a variety of reasons, but Schlichter says it is important for them to be safe from the cold when temperatures drop like they did this weekend.
“We want to encourage people to use shelters,” she said.
Clarke said the overflow shelter has averaged about 43 people each night so far this month. On Saturday, when temperatures started to dip, the shelter had 47 people stay overnight.
Bed availability in the region’s shelter system is evaluated on a daily basis. It allows staff to look at whether the shelter system is reaching capacity and if some shelter users can be moved into motels to free up emergency beds temporarily.
“The system keeps flowing,” Schlichter said, but she warned that it is not a sustainable one.
“We want to create homes for people, not just expand the (shelter) system,” Schlichter said.
“We’re really focused on chronic homelessness and trying to get those people housed.”
Creating supportive housing for the chronically homeless requires staff and resources, and Schlichter urges the community to help however it can, from landlords who can reduce rents to residents who can raise money to help house someone in need.
“If we want to change this picture we really need the community to help us get there.”
The temporary overflow shelter at the YWCA on Frederick Street will be open until April.
