City of Regina's interim emergency shelter 'consistently full,' with 20 on waitlist

The interim emergency shelter created by the City of Regina is "consistently full" and has a wait list of approximately 20 people.

The new details are found in a COVID-19 update headed to Regina city council on Wednesday. 

The shelter on Hamilton Street was meant to replace Camp Hope, a pop-up shelter community for people experiencing homelessness that was located in Pepsi Park. 

Concerns over COVID-19 resulted in the interim shelter being established and residents from Camp Hope were officially moved on Nov. 15.

Since then the shelter has been consistently full on a daily basis.

New people looking for assistance are being referred to other shelters in the city, and the ministry of social services is now using hotel rooms as a final resort, the report says. 

LISTEN| Regina's Campe Hope dismantled

The 40-bed interim shelter provides food, showers and social support for residents. Anyone entering the facility must take a rapid COVID-19 test. 

It's set to operate for at least six months as part of the lease for the space, which is being funded by the City of Regina and the Ministry of Social Services. 

Regina says it has put forward a total of $134,000 for the project, including $66,000 for the lease, a one-time investment of $38,00 to prepare the shelter for occupancy and $30,000 for utilities including power, energy, garbage collection and internet. 

The city also says $14,500 was spent for city transit buses that were used as warming shelters and were also used to transport residents of Camp Hope to interim shelter. 

The shelter is operated by Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services (RT/SIS) and has support from Regina Fire & Protective Services, Regina Police Service and social workers from the Ministry of Social Services. 

The report says they will continue to support the shelter but are exploring options "to work toward permanent solutions."