Extreme Weather Response
When Calgary’s weather turns dangerous, no one should face it alone. We work with community partners across the city to ensure people experiencing homelessness have access to safe spaces and support when they need it most.
What is EWR?
Extreme Weather Response (EWR) is a collaborative effort between the City of Calgary, Calgary Homeless Foundation, and over 20 local organizations throughout the city. The program provides spaces throughout the city for individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as connection to overnight shelters and resources. EWR activates during Calgary’s cold winter months or during other extreme weather conditions that threaten the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness, such as extreme heat or wildfire smoke.
What is extreme weather?
Despite Calgary’s reputation as a cold weather city, extreme conditions can take multiple forms. EWR helps to address all of them.
Extreme cold
When temperatures drop below -20°C, exposure becomes life-threatening within minutes. EWR seasonal day spaces provide immediate shelter and connect people to overnight accommodations and longer-term supports.
Extreme heat
High temperatures combined with humidity can cause heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Cooling centres offer relief and hydration during dangerous heat events.
Wildfire smoke
Poor air quality from wildfire smoke poses serious respiratory risks, especially for vulnerable populations. Clean air spaces provide safe environments during smoke events.
Flooding
Severe weather and flooding can displace people and create dangerous conditions. Emergency response includes temporary shelter and connection to essential services.
Seasonal Day Spaces
Seasonal day spaces are welcoming, safe, and supportive spaces where individuals can access warm shelter, hot meals and beverages, winter clothing, and connection to support services. Many locations also provide shuttle transportation to overnight shelters. Each centre offers culturally appropriate services and works to create pathways from emergency response to stable housing.
Current day space locations and availability
Journey Church
A year-round day space that connects individuals to services and system navigation supports. In partnership with Distress Centre Calgary, staff provide snacks, coffee, essential items, and help people access coordinated care, health services, housing supports, community resources, and Housing Strategist support through the Coordinated Access and Assessment (CAA) system.
Open Mon. Fri. 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Mustard Seed
A year-round, welcoming community day space offering a variety of services including coffee, bagged lunches, daily hot meals, essential items, emergency clothing, employment support, system navigation and referrals, Housing Strategist support, group programming, and more.
Regular hours: 8 a.m.–6 p.m. daily
Mobile warming stations
The Salvation Army mobile warming stations offer soup, hot drinks, connection to housing supports, system navigation, referral services, and transportation to shelters. Two locations set up daily.
Hope Mission Shuttle Bus
Hope Mission Calgary, a partner of Calgary’s Day Space Network, provides free transportation that connects people to day spaces and service centres. The shuttle follows a daily route Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays) and is wheelchair accessible.
City of Calgary resources
The City of Calgary provides a regularly updated map of publicly available indoor locations where individuals can visit for temporary respite from extreme heat. All listed locations have either an indoor water fountain or an indoor water bottle filling station.
What is the impact of EWR?
| Impact | 2025-2026 | 2024-2025 | 2023-2024 | 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal day space visits | 32,324 | 37,180 | 26,796 | 19,327 |
| Seasonal day space unique individuals | 3,288 | – | 2,296 | 1,695 |
| Outreach team accessing supplies | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 |
| Emergency shelter shuttle transports | 3,632 | 2,227 | 2,823 | 925 |
| Unique individuals accessing shuttle | 776 | 1,149 | 1,296 | – |
| 2025-2026 Infographic | 2024–2025 Infographic | 2023–2024 Infographic | 2022–2023 Infographic |
Our EWR partners
Point-in-time count reports
Our biennial Point-in-Time Count provides a snapshot of homelessness in Calgary, helping us understand who is experiencing homelessness and how extreme weather response fits into the broader system of support.
