Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response (CCEWR)

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Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response (CCEWR)

Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) is partnering to deliver the Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response (CCEWR). 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.

Links below also provide the Salvation Army’s mobile warming locations and City of Calgary Emergency Shelter Shuttle Information that is updated regularly.

Links

CCEWR Resource List

The linked resource lists contain information about overnight shelters, daytime services, and warming locations.

English: View | Download

French: View | Download

Chinese: View | Download

Tagalog: View | Download

Punjabi: View | Download

More Information

Salvation Army Mobile Warming Station Schedule

The warming station is closed for the season. If you see someone who needs help, you can call the DOAP (Downtown Outreach Addiction Partnership) Team at 403-998-7388. If someone is in serious distress or non-responsive, call 9-1-1. 

City of Calgary Emergency Shelter Shuttle Information (updated Feb. 22)

CHF Press Release: Extreme Weather Response

CCWR Summary 2022

CCWR Snapshot: March 2022

Map provided by the City of Calgary
View larger map
Mobile Warming Station ScheduleCCEWR Resource ListEmergency Shelter Shuttle Information by City of Calgary

Salvation Army Mobile Warming Station Schedule

The warming station is closed for the season. If you see someone who needs help, you can call the DOAP (Downtown Outreach Addiction 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 24th 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. CHF worked with shelters, social agencies and outreach organizations to increase warm spaces; provide winter essentials; and support community efforts to reduce barriers to shelter access for individuals experiencing homelessness.

The Coordinated Community Extreme Weather Response (CCEWR) is the successor to CCWR, and the city has committed funding of $2.3 million over four years from the Community Safety Investment Framework (CSIF) fund. The bulk of the funding coming from the City will be spent on increasing accessible spaces that ensure a safe and dignified environment for clients and staff supporting these facilities. This is best achieved by continuing to build capacity with existing and well established shelters that have the experience and resources to offer a safe environment for the clients they serve and for those who support them.

CHF will continue to fund and coordinate the distribution of essential items to vulnerable individuals and families. To ensure an efficient, equitable, accessible and accountable system, CHF with community partners offer three options for grassroots outreach teams to access basic needs:

  1. Directly through the Drop-In Center
  2. A direct request for CHF to purchase eligible goods on their behalf
  3. Contact CHF to get pre-approval on purchase of eligible goods and then reimbursement

Between December 2021 and July 2022, this approach has allowed for close to $480k of total values of goods to be distributed to 22 separate outreach organizations through 157 individual orders.

Increase accessibility of warming (or cooling)  spaces for vulnerable individuals and families when faced with extreme weather conditions. Learnings from our initial outreach this past winter indicate the need to continue to offer warming spaces as a key focus area.

Map provided by the City of Calgary
View larger map

Links

CCEWR Resource List

English: View | Download

French: View | Download

Chinese: View | Download

Tagalog: View | Download

Punjabi: View | Download

More Information

Salvation Army Mobile Warming Station Schedule 

The warming station is closed for the season. If you see someone who needs help, you can call the DOAP (Downtown Outreach Addiction Partnership) Team at 403-998-7388. If someone is in serious distress or non-responsive, call 9-1-1. 

City of Calgary Emergency Shelter Shuttle Information (updated Feb. 22)

Emergency Shelter Shuttle Update Summary:

  • 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 24th 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.

CHF Press Release: Extreme Weather Response

CCWR Summary 2022

CCWR Snapshot: March 2022