Extreme Weather Response (EWR)

Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response (CCEWR)

Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) is partnering to deliver the Extreme Weather Response (EWR). If you need to get out of the cold and warm up, here’s a map of Calgary’s cold weather emergency locations that includes overnight shelters, daytime services and warming stations.

CCEWR Impact – the week of: Jan 14 – Jan 20

7876

Warming Space Visits

1194

Warming Space Unique Individuals

Outreach Teams Accessing Supplies

709

Emergency Shelter Shuttle Transports

461

Unique Individuals Accessing Shuttle

Mobile Warming Station Schedule CCEWR Resource List Emergency Shelter Shuttle Information by City of Calgary

Salvation Army Mobile Warming Station Schedule

The mobile warming location will be set up at two spots every day and offer food, hot drinks and transportation to shelter from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily beginning December 1.

If you see someone who needs help, you can call the HELP (Human centered
Engagement Liaison and Partnership) Team at 403-998-7388. If someone is in serious distress or non-responsive, call 9-1-1.

Provided by the City of Calgary

To address barriers to access, shelters and social agencies work with people experiencing homelessness to assist in accessing services and supports. It includes ensuring vulnerable Calgarians receive transportation to shelters. In response to forecasted colder temperatures, free Emergency Shelter Shuttle services are temporarily in place to transport those who have been sheltering in LRT stations to the Calgary Drop-In Centre or Alpha House.

UPDATED February 22, 2023

Emergency Shelter Shuttles will be operating Monday to Friday night (February 20 – 24) between 21:30 and 03:00:
- Southland LRT station and the Drop-In Centre/Alpha House,
- Rundle LRT station/Marlborough LRT station and the Drop-In Centre/Alpha House,
- Somerset LRT station and the Drop-In Centre/Alpha House.
- NB: Emergency Shelter Shuttles will not be provided after February 24^th for this activation unless the weather forecast changes.
- Regular transportation opportunities will still be available to help unhoused Calgarians access shelter and other services including transit/LRT services and the DOAP Team.
These shuttle services are free for those who wish transport to the Drop-In Centre or Alpha House.
Regular LRT services are available to those who wish transport to a shelter. If asked for a ticket, people can let the Transit Officer know they are going to a shelter and fare may not be required.
DOAP Team staff and a City of Calgary Peace Officer and will be stationed on the buses to assist those choosing transport.
Maximum occupancy of each shuttle bus: 30 people.
Protocol to address people with belongings: Maximum of two bags per person, aligned with emergency shelter requirements.
Drugs and weapons safety concerns: Anyone with visible weapons or illegal substances will not be allowed access to the shuttle service.
If individuals choose not or are unable to access the Drop-In Centre or Alpha House, outreach staff will engage with the individual to determine alternate emergency shelter or other services on a case-by-case basis.
Will individuals be allowed to stay on the shuttle while the service is operational if they choose not to access shelter services?
- Priority is to focus supporting individuals with expedited access to the Drop-In Centre or Alpha House, which will include outreach by Drop-In Centre staff upon arrival.
- If individuals choose not or are unable to access the Drop-In Centre or Alpha House, outreach staff will engage with the individual to determine alternate emergency shelter or other services on a case-by-case basis.

Why

LRT stations are not appropriate places to seek shelter as they do not have the necessary amenities (heat, potable water or restrooms) nor resources to support peoples’ wellbeing.
Resources are available. There is room in shelters with food, showers, washrooms and other supports to help.

Other resources

- Those who are cold and have nowhere to go, please call or visit these shelters and services listed here: Calgary Homeless Foundation Cold Weather Emergency Supports
- The DOAP (Downtown Outreach Addiction Partnership) Team can be reached at 403-998-7388.
- For more info and other available resources anyone can call/text/chat 211 or visit ab.211.ca 24-hours a day.

In 2021, Calgary City Council had allocated $750,000 for a Coordinated Community Winter Response (CCWR). This was in response to factors like overcrowding at transit stations, sustained temperatures of below -20 degrees and issues arising from the pandemic. The United Way of Calgary and Area made an additional investment of $100,000 in January 2022, to be leveraged to support this initiative, bringing total funding to $850,000.

In 2022, the City of Calgary approved funding of $2.8 million over four years from the Community Safety Investment Framework (CSIF) fund for the Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response. CCEWR is a comprehensive and collaborative process with the City of Calgary, Alberta government, shelter agencies, community organizations and outreach teams to implement measures to provide support to vulnerable and unsheltered individuals facing extreme weather conditions. This includes addressing not only immediate needs for shelter and safety, but also for the broader well-being of those individuals including access to healthcare, social support, and long-term solutions for homelessness.

CHF will continue to fund and coordinate the distribution of essential items to vulnerable individuals and families. With extreme weather and increased outreach teams in the community, there is a need to provide outreach with essential items for distribution. The goal of this initiative is to have a central location for outreach teams and service providers to be able to access essential items and extreme weather supplies on a weekly basis. Supplies will be seasonal and based on urgent needs and feedback from outreach teams and service providers. The Calgary Drop-in Centre facilitates the procurement of supplies, manages orders, and provides storage space and pick-up location.

There are a variety of items that are requested by outreach teams from people experiencing homelessness. Some of the essential items that contribute to a person’s wellness are: gloves, coats, boots, socks, hats, snacks, water, hygiene products and personal care items like nail clippers and toothbrushes.

CCEWR Year Over Year Impact

Each year, we’ve been able to increase the capacity of our Coordinated Community
Extreme Weather Response, helping more individuals access the care they need.

THIS IS MY TEXT
Days Below –20
Emergency Shelter Shuttle Transports
HELP / DOAP Team Transports
Warming Centre Visits
Warming Centre Visits by Unique Individuals

2023 – 2024
18
2,823
279
26,796
2,296

2022 – 2023
21
925
130
19,327
1,685

Map provided by the City of Calgary

View larger map

Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response (CCEWR)

Links

2024 CCEWR Resource List: View | Download

Map provided by the City of Calgary

CCEWR Impact – the week of: Jan 14 – Jan 20

Salvation Army Mobile Warming Station Schedule

Provided by the City of Calgary

UPDATED February 22, 2023

CCEWR Year Over Year Impact

Map provided by the City of Calgary

Links

CCEWR Resource List

More Information

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