Extreme cold causes ‘super concern’ for homeless

Extreme cold weather across Westman has placed people experiencing homelessness in a “life or death” situation, outreach groups say.

“We’re always super concerned when it gets to be these temperatures in Manitoba,” Heather Symbalisty, executive director of Samaritan House Ministries Inc., said Thursday.

“We’re always afraid that someone’s going to get, you know, frostbite or succumb to the elements.”

Samaritan House is the only facility in Brandon that allows the unhoused community to stay overnight and sleep at its 41-bed Safe and Warm Shelter at 820 Pacific Ave.

Symbalisty said people start lining up outside every night around 6:30 p.m. to try to secure a bed when the doors open from 7 p.m. until 9:30 a.m. seven days per week.

While the lineups outside “can be quite long,” staff haven’t had to turn anybody away yet this winter because some folks access an overnight warming centre a few blocks away.

Environment Canada issued an orange-level cold warning for Westman on Thursday. The extreme cold was expected to continue today with temperatures at -29 C and a wind chill making it feel like -40 C in the afternoon and -51 C overnight.

Very cold wind chills are expected over the weekend, dropping into the -40 C to – 45 C range when “frostbite can develop in minutes,” the federal agency warns.

The thought of not having enough beds for an influx of people seeking shelter in winter keeps staff awake at night, Symbalisty said. Shelter workers also collaborate with other agencies to ensure people they come in contact with have been accounted for and are staying connected to outreach services.

Life’s Journey, a warming centre that can accept overflow from the Safe and Warm Shelter, is open seven days a week from 7:45 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. at 725 Princess Ave.

“Our average numbers are around 50 a night. We have seen upwards of 70 people in the past,” said Jodi Roney, the program manager at the overnight space.

The number of people accessing the drop-in space has remained consistent and staff aren’t currently seeing an increase, she said.

The centre, set up with tables, chairs and a TV, isn’t very large, which means people can become agitated easier when they feel crammed or tired.

“We have two staff on and one security, although this weekend, we are adding a second security just in an effort to try and help keep the peace, so that hopefully we don’t have to ask anyone to leave for safety reasons,” Roney said.

She said the centre wants to allow as many people as possible in the space.

Roney hopes the Safe and Warm Shelter will receive more funding for beds so more of the unhoused community has the chance to sleep, but Symbalisty said the shelter isn’t expanding any time soon.

A database that tracks homelessness in Brandon through the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation shows that while the total number of people who experienced homelessness decreased from 909 in 2024 to 821 in 2025, chronic homelessness rose by 20 per cent.

The data also showed that Indigenous men disproportionally experience homelessness in Brandon.

Staff at Ask Auntie, an advocacy outreach group downtown on Sixth Street that provides a variety of supports, say they have seen an influx of people accessing their services this winter.

“You certainly notice on days when it’s warmer, a lot less people come by, but when it’s cold, it really fills up,” said Will Johnson, Ask Auntie’s program co-ordinator.

The drop-in service has a capacity of 30 people, but staff see dozens come through during the day. The drop-in is open on Monday to Fridays between 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

It’s also open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is trying to get a food permit to fill service gaps for people in need of a hot meal, Johnson said.

“One thing we’ve noticed about people in need is quite often, if they see someone else in need, they’ll give their coat to somebody else,” he said.

Ask Auntie recently sent out a request on social media for winter jackets, warm clothing and boots for women and men in all sizes.

“Boots is a real big one. That’s one that we get asked a lot, and we don’t have any,” he said.

Life’s Journey and the Samaritan House Ministries Inc. are also looking for donations of socks, mittens, hats, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and sugar. People can drop off donations by calling ahead to any of the shelter or outreach groups.

Symbalisty encourages community members to allow people experiencing homelessness to warm up in public spaces.

“If they’re not bothering anybody, just allow them to have that time to warm up, because that situation could be potentially life or death,” she said.

“Sometimes the circumstances are beyond their control, and we just want to keep everyone safe and warm as possible.”

She said anyone who is concerned about a person who may be struggling in the extreme cold weather can contact social agencies or the Brandon Police Service’s non-emergency line to ask for a wellness check.

» tadamski@brandonsun.com