New permanent homeless shelter to open this winter in Wetaskiwin

New Homeless Shelter to Open in Wetaskiwin, Alberta

A new homeless shelter in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, is set to open later this winter. It will provide shelter and hope for many residents who need a place to sleep each night.

The Hope Mission has operated a 42-bed temporary shelter in Wetaskiwin for three years. This shelter is located approximately 70 kilometers south of Edmonton. The new permanent shelter, currently under construction next door, will accommodate up to 75 people.

Currently, up to 65 people seek accommodations each night, according to the agency.

Focus on Life Changes

Kelly Row, a chaplain at the shelter, emphasized that the new facility aims to provide more than just basic care. “We don’t want to just see the same people stuck in the same situation. We’re in it to see lives change,” Row said during an interview with Edmonton AM on Tuesday.

Since opening in October 2022, the temporary shelter has referred over 140 people to recovery programs.

Success Stories

One success story is Cory Pruden. He completed Hope Mission’s recovery program in Edmonton and now works as a janitor at the temporary shelter in his hometown. Pruden knows most of the people staying at the shelter, and his Indigenous background helps him connect with them.

“They’re looking at me, asking me how I do it on a daily basis. And I just tell them ‘a lot of it was prayer, Hope Mission, Kelly Row, he helped me. You wouldn’t believe the staff there — they’re all on board with me,” he said.

He advises clients, “you just got to look forward to the future — today’s today.”

Features of the New Shelter

The new permanent shelter will include an emergency shelter, a dining hall, and an area for health services, tax services, and programs like grief counseling or addiction support.

Hope Mission contributed $6.8 million in capital funding for the shelter. The Alberta government provided $3.2 million in capital funding and about $2.23 million in operational funding for 2025-26, according to Amber Edgerton, press secretary for Jason Nixon, the minister of assisted living and social services.

Future Plans

The shelter is located on three acres of city land. Row mentioned that the adjacent six acres are also zoned for service agencies, such as a detox center. The nearest detox services are in Red Deer.

The second phase of Hope Mission’s project includes building transitional and affordable housing. The agency is currently seeking funding for this phase.

Community Response

For years, the issue of helping the homeless population has divided Wetaskiwin’s residents and city council. In 2021, the city shut down its homeless shelter, leading to encampments and other temporary solutions.

Construction on the new permanent shelter began in spring 2024, four months after city council paused the development permits.

Wetaskiwin Mayor Joe Branco did not respond to inquiries from CBC News.