By EverythingGP Staff

Helping vulnerable Albertans

Province granting $21.5 million to homeless, women shelters

Nov 17, 2021 | 4:12 PM

The Alberta government is providing an additional $21.5 million dollars to help people experiencing homelessness and domestic violence.

Premier Jason Kenney said Tuesday the funding will be utilized province-wide for these facilities which support vulnerable Albertans.

“As we continue to navigate through COVID, one of our top priorities is to make sure all Albertans have a safe place to stay and access to the support they need,” said Kenney. “Together with the $78 million previously announced by Alberta’s government, this additional funding will help organizations on the front lines deliver the services vulnerable Albertans need.”

Emergency homeless shelters

Of that total funding, $13 million dollars will support 14 homeless shelter facilities, including in Grande Prairie.

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Funding will also go towards, where possible, 24-7 access to regular meal service, showers, laundry services and connection to addictions and mental health services and housing.

Other facilities which will benefit include those in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Drayton Valley, Leduc, Slave Lake and Wetaskiwin.

Isolation facilities

Another $6.5 million of that funding will support about 285 isolation spaces in 10 communities, including Grande Prairie and Peace River.

The province says these facilities are a critical component of the shelter pandemic response, and help alleviate pressure in the public health system by helping shelter clients who contract COVID-19 isolate and receive medical care if hospitalization is not required.

Additional capacity may be added in some rural communities as needed.

Facilities in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Wetaskiwin and Lac La Biche will also be supported through this grant stream.

Emergency women’s shelters

The remaining $2 million in funding will support service delivery adjustments at emergency women’s shelters.

Due to the pandemic, there has been an increase in domestic violence across Alberta.

This funding will help shelter operators offer more support through community outreach and virtual service delivery as well as hotel isolation, and adjust in-shelter services to align with public health orders.

The province did not specify which communities will receive grants to aid women’s shelters.

(With files from David Opinko, Lethbridge News Now)