The overnight shelter could come to an end on April 30. (Photo 40995064 © Katarzyna Bialasiewicz | Dreamstime.com)

By Derek Cornet

homelessness

Number of homeless seeking overnight shelter remains steady

Apr 3, 2025 | 12:08 PM

The number of homeless individuals in La Ronge needing overnight shelter during the winter months has stayed relatively steady when compared to previous years.

This past winter marked the first time the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) hosted the program after staff with the Kikinahk Friendship Centre announced they would be unable to do so starting with the 2024-2025 season.

The band hired Tina Johnson, who also spearheaded the program with Kikinahk, to manage it for them and she said 166 people had registered to stay overnight over the past six months.

“We’ve been fairly steady and busy. Our numbers dropped a little bit in January and February when the cows and plows were released to the community,” she explained.

“It’s kind of on par to where we were last year with our numbers at the Kikinahk. It has decreased a little bit over the years. We had a huge influx when COVID first came to the community. We were up over the 200 mark. Our numbers have gone down, but it is kind of holding steady between 130 and 180 per season for the last couple years now.”

crime

Armed teen responsible for Churchill lockdown

13h ago

mental health

Men of the North expands to Cumberland House

15h ago

Warmer weather ahead

Double-digit highs in the forecast as warmer weather finally arrives

17h ago

The overnight shelter has enough space for 27 individuals, but nobody was turned away this winter due to capacity. If there were space constraints, staff did have the option of adding cots in the hallway areas.

In December 2024, Air Ronge and La Ronge councils approved a request from the LLRIB to provide funding of approximately $50,000 to extend overnight hours into the day. Johnson noted although the funds were received, daytime programming ultimately didn’t go as planned due to the higher than normal number of funerals held at Kitsaki Hall since the beginning of the year.

“What we have done is we opened up the shelter during the daytime,” she said.

“That money was able to provide staff during the daytime at the shelter, so people could come in, warm up, get something to eat, have hot coffee and visit. We’ve been doing that now since the middle of February.”

The shelter is currently operating 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It’s unknown how long it will remain open for the season as Johnson added that depends on continued funding from the band, as well as the weather. They are, however, currently looking at possibly ending the program on April 30.

With that date approaching, Johnson mentioned clients will be in need of donations such as tents, tarps and camping gear. In the next couple of weeks, she said staff would be exploring options on how to receive and distribute donations as they lack the space in the current location to accept and store donations.

“We have been working very closely with the Tri-Community Housing Strategy group over the last few months, and we are hoping to partner with them on an outreach program over the summer months, which will enable us to help them provide services for our homeless community here in La Ronge,” she said.

–

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com