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On Wednesday (August 5), the government of Alberta has announced funding of CAD 48 million for community organizations and shelters facilities that have been helping the homeless people amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they are still studying how to use this money assign it out.
The funding of CAD 48 million is in addition to the funding of CAD 25 million dedicated to helping homeless populations back in the month of March.
Ms. Rajan Sawhney, Community and Social Services Minister, has said in his statement, “This critical financial support will help ensure the important work of our partners can continue support Albertans who experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The new funding means that throughout the winter season, the care and isolation centers can continue to shelter those who have tested positive to COVID-19 or are infected with COVID-19 symptoms and they will be not required to go anywhere else.
Moreover, this funding will help the shelter expand its existing location to ensure that social distancing guidelines can be followed and will also enable the shelter to enter the facility as soon as possible within 24 hours.
The new 8 quarantine centers opened in Alberta also provide quarantine places for people with symptoms so they can wait for test results. Ms. Rajan Sawhney also said that an overflow shelter will be needed to ensure adequate body distance, especially when the weather gets cold.
She further said that there were no plans to reopen emergency satellite shelters at the Calgary and Edmonton convention centers earlier this summer. They are too expensive and the government looks for more affordable solution.
Municipal leaders and organizations assisting the homeless are eager to see a long-term solution because social distancing rules greatly limit the number of people that organizations can serve.
The Alberta Health Authority said that there were 25 cases in the Calgary Rescue Center, 11 cases of COVID-19 in the Alpha House in Calgary and 9 cases in the female shelter and 2 cases in the Salvation Army Hope Center. However, all have completely recovered.
