New permanent shelter to open in Regina on July 28

Regina's new emergency shelter was unveiled on Friday, showcasing 50 permanent shelter beds and a host of programming facilities for the city's homeless population. 

The new facility, called the New Beginnings Enhanced Emergency Shelter, sits on the old Eagles Club location in the Heritage neighbourhood. 

The shelter will be officially opened to the public on July 28, replacing the current temporary shelter at The Nest Health Centre on 13th Avenue. After transferring its current clients to the new location, the temporary shelter, also called New Beginnings, will shut down. 

"Having that sense of permanency allows for us to continue to expand and better embed ourselves in how we service our vulnerable community members," said Natasha Kennedy, whose organization, Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services, will run the shelter. 

According to the most recent point-in-time count in October 2024, there were 824 homeless people identified in Regina. That was an increase of 255 per cent from 2015.

New Beginnings will offer all of the same services provided at The Nest, including addictions support and cultural programming. Its kitchen will serve clients three meals a day, and provide showers, bathrooms, laundry services and a common area.

As it is replacing the 50 beds offered at The Nest, New Beginnings will not be adding any new shelter beds to the city's total capacity. 

The shelter won't turn people away if all of its beds are occupied, said Kennedy. Instead, it will try to make arrangements for them with other shelters and care facilities. 

"We understand that folks come with multiple barriers and challenges. And some of those challenges are people in active use" she said of the centre's low-barrier design, which provides privacy for each bed space but does not have floor-to-ceiling walls separating them.

"This allows for us to work with them if they are looking for treatment or if they're looking for other support, if we're looking at addressing harm reduction." 

The opening comes after years of public consultations, negotiations among city officials, and pleas from community advocates about where to build the centre.

The location on Halifax Street, which sits one block north of the Regina Police Services headquarters, was selected after a 9-to-2 vote at Regina city council in September 2024.

The total cost of the shelter is $6.8 million. The federal government provided $3 million through the Federal Transit and Housing Fund and an additional $1.1 million through its Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampment Initiative. The provincial government guaranteed another $3 million as a forgivable loan. 

For its part, the City of Regina will cover the centre's $1 million annual operating costs. It will also own the building.

"It's the signal that this is something we take seriously," said Regina mayor Chad Bachynski.

"To have a permanent space in Regina, moving away from a temporary space, I think speaks volumes to the commitment that Regina is making in terms of helping folks address challenges that they're facing with respect to homelessness."