(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Dawson Thompson

Funding Needed

Prince Albert councilors call for homeless shelter to be open 24-hours a day

Aug 19, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Prince Albert councilors are asking for more funding for the Stepping Stones shelter to be open year-round, 24-hours a day, as homelessness becomes more of an issue in the city.

They were funded $165,000 this year by the federal government, enabling the shelter to open their doors from July to Oct. 14 this year, overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

“Having [Stepping Stones] open over the winter months is definitely needed in our city,” Councilor Tony Head said during the meeting. “The residents of Prince Albert want us to do more about this.”

Coun. Blake Edwards and Coun. Ted Zurakowski joined Head’s call for funding. Zurakowski added the facility needs the funding to be open at all times.

“I would like to say in the strongest terms possible that this is a facility that needs to be open 24-hours a day,” Zurakowski said. “If they hear that from this body, my hope is they can go back to their funding agencies and say that is the wish of the community, that is what they have asked for.”

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Other councilors are also concerned with funding being pulled from the homeless shelter in La Ronge, and that the problem may become worse in Prince Albert if something is not done.

“That’s a concern to Prince Albert,” Edwards said. “Where are those people going to end up? It will be the next largest city to the south, which is Prince Albert.

“We, as a municipal body need to strongly encourage our provincial and federal leaders to fund that homeless shelter as well, because we are going to be the city that is impacted, and Prince Albert does not need that.”

Mayor Greg Dionne added there may not be funding for the shelter in the near future with the federal election next month.

The mayor is planning a summit next month where he will meet with an expert regarding how to help people with homelessness and addictions.

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Dawson.thompson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @dawsonthompson8