As homeless people seek places to stay warm, group working to bring transitional housing to Steinbach

When frostbite develops in minutes, finding shelter is a matter of life or death.

In Steinbach, Man., that's led to people without homes using places like bank vestibules and the changing rooms at an outdoor skating rink on Elmdale Street to keep warm.

Trevor Burton, who uses the rink regularly, says he's come across three men who regularly use the change room where he puts on his skates to warm up. He last saw them on Wednesday, during a bitter cold snap that's seen wind chill values below –30.

Burton wants to see somewhere that can help them find a place of their own, "so they can get back on their feet," he said after a frigid Friday morning skate.

The INN, or Initiative for Neighbourly Nights, is a group dedicated to bringing transitional housing for up to 30 people at a time to Steinbach's Main Street.

It's submitted a proposal to the city that would include beds in apartments for people in emergency situations, but also staff for security, addictions, nursing and community outreach.

"That means accepting people where they're at, helping them get the support that they need to be able to, get housing that is appropriate for them and sustainable," said INN chair Leona Doerksen.

There is an emergency shelter in the city of more than 17,000 — Today House, which is run by Steinbach Community Outreach, but it only has room for four people overnight.

"There's a sense of urgency to all of this, because we have people living on the streets," said Doerksen. With the kind of weather Manitoba has seen this week, that's "unthinkable," she said.

Draft safety plan

A draft community safety and well-being plan presented to Steinbach city council earlier this month identifies helping homeless people as a priority.

Doerksen and Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk support the draft report's recommendation to hire a dedicated community safety and well-being co-ordinator to implement its recommendations.

Several groups have presented to council to raise concerns about housing and homelessness in the last year.

In November, council heard about a new policy at the recently built Southeast Event Centre, implemented after concerns from visitors and parents. The policy has staff and security direct those seeking shelter away from the children's play area and toward services in other locations.

On Tuesday, council passed two items related to housing.

One was approving rezoning of a property on Main Street to allow the city's first apartment building filled with only studio apartments. Funk said during the meeting that will provide more affordable housing.

Another was a zoning bylaw change that adds an extra step to creating any temporary housing, like the INN's proposal.

A public hearing now must be held and a conditional use permit approved by council for such housing.

Funk said with that change, "all we've done is we've allowed the neighbourhood to come forward and voice their opinions — [it] doesn't mean we'll vote in favour or against [a proposal]."

But if "it's going to change the fabric of a neighbourhood, then we wanted the neighbourhood to actually be able to weigh in and vote," he said.

The INN submitted its proposal to city planners before the new bylaw passed.

It has also been talking with people in the neighbourhood around the east end of Main Street.

"We have lots of support from local organizations and churches," said Doerksen. "I would say there's definitely a recognition of the need, and there's certainly support in the community."

About a dozen community service providers were consulted for the safety and well-being plan. The INN was not one of them.

"We certainly welcome being offered a seat at the table if they have an action committee," said Doerksen.

Other priorities listed in the draft report include mental health and addiction, policing, access to services, community belonging and inclusion, children and youth, and transportation.