Version 1.2 – Updated June 1, 2018
Emergency Homeless Shelter Occupancy Data – Usage Considerations
Definitions
Capacity: The number of available shelter bed spaces in a given period, capacity is usually approved by fire department and health inspectors.
Funded Beds: The number of shelter beds funded by Community and Social Services (CSS) in the reporting period.
Total Overnight: The total number of clients admitted to the shelters on that day. Head counts usually end at 10:00 p.m.
Funded Winter Emergency Spaces: Additional funding provided by CSS to open available bed spaces in shelters during the winter months (November to April). Shelters must have the bed capacity to receive funding. Some shelters receive WER funding year-round.
Total Overnight WER: The total number of clients admitted to the additional funded winter bed spaces.
Notes
Calgary: Inn from the Cold has three shelter locations. In one building the 2nd Floor has 40 bed spaces, and the 3rd Floor has 80 bed spaces. Knox is a separate site that also has 40 bed spaces. CSS only funds the 80 bed spaces on the 3rd Floor location.
2015 – October 1 to 2017 – April 30. Calgary Drop-In Centre file updated June 1, 2018. Previous versions of these open-data files were double-counting occupancy in the winter emergency spaces at the River Front location, affecting occupancy rates during the winter months (October to May) from 2015 to 2017.
2017 - June 16. Salvation Army Mat program was approved for year-round funding.
2016 - November 1 to 2017 - April 30. People’s Place capacity and funded beds increased to 46 beds.
2017 - November 14. Additional 15 WER funded bed space (Sept - April) was approved for Rotary house - Mat intox program
2016 - April 25. Edmonton: Hope Mission - Winter Emergency Relief clients were moved to Herb Jamieson Centre due to staff illness. The space reopened April 26, 2016.
2016 - April 27. Edmonton: WEAC - closed due to a fire. Clients were housed at Elizabeth House and Cross Road. Capacity and funded beds were reduced to 49 from 66 (2016 May - 2017 March). Edmonton: WEAC partially reopened on January 16, 2017, with full operation resuming on February 8.
2016 - May 1 to October 31. Red Deer: Safe Harbour Society - People's Place capacity was reduced to 35 from 46. Capacity and funding for 46 bed spaces was restored beginning November 1, 2016.
2016 - May 3. Fort McMurray: Salvation Army shelter closed as a result of the wildfire and reopened on June 16, 2016. Marshall House reopened July 4, 2016 and Salvation Army - Mat Program Winter Emergency re-opened July 20, 2016.
2014 - April 28 & 30. During April 2014, the winter emergency spaces for Hope Mission - Herb Jamieson were located at the Edmonton Remand Centre--staffing issues at the Remand Centre during that time may have prevented them from accepting clients, which may explain reports of 0 occupancy on some days in that month.
2013 - June 3. Medicine Hat shelter closed due to power outage. Clients were placed in hotels.
2013 - June 20 to 30. Flooding was reported in Calgary leading to evacuation of clients in Alpha house, YWCA, and CDIC, which was evacuated to Centre 4800. IFTC clients were placed in hotels from June 21 to June 30.