'Our emergency shelters are full': Salvation Army adds 60 new beds anticipating influx of refugees

Beds have been arriving daily as a Winnipeg shelter prepares for an influx of refugees seeking shelter from the cold.

Salvation Army’s Winnipeg Centre of Hope has noticed many people are crossing the Canadian border in other provinces, coming to Manitoba to work through the asylum process, and then leaving for other cities.

In the meantime, they are in need of a hot meal and warm bed, but beds were running low.

"We've had a bit of an increase within refugees that are coming across the border over the last couple months,” Executive Director Mark Stewart said. “What we've noticed is that our emergency shelters are full."

It’s a concerning trend that the Province of Manitoba has heard about from the shelter system.

So far this year, Canadian Border Services Agency data reveals 85 people have claimed asylum in Manitoba. That's a huge drop from 435 asylum's claims in 2018.

That decline a stark contrast to what the Centre of Hope is seeing under the centre's roof.

"We were kind of sitting within 30 refugee claimants a day and then that went to 40, 50, and I think we are currently up to 80 refugee claimants just in this building,” Stewart said.

Many of those refugees did not cross the United States – Manitoba border to get there.

"Some are coming from other towns or cities. So they are flying in from larger cities across Canada mainly Montreal or Toronto or coming directly across the border."

If they do decide to stay in the province, there are challenges.

The Province of Manitoba says $7.1 million has been given to 26 organizations working with refugees. It says that support is crucial for newcomers not eligible for federally funded services due to their status in Canada.

N.E.E.D.S Centre, an immigrant and refugee employment and education centre, says they helped roughly 2,000 people last year – most between six and 21 years old.

"A lot of our clients have years of interrupted schooling so while they may be with folks of their age group, peers of their age group, academically there's a very wide gap," Program Manager Lisa Jansz said.

She and fellow project manager Alejandra Cano say refugees often need trauma and cultural supports.

"It's really part of really helping them understand their new environment,” Cano said. “Helping them be successful in their new city, new country.”

But before people get to that point, Steward says it takes four to five months of living in shelters or elsewhere to get the paperwork settled.

"This is a need right now and Salvation Army is stepping to the plate and saying we're going to create these bed spaces," Steward said. "I hope we don't need them."

He anticipates the new beds will be ready to go next week. In the meantime, Salvation Army is collecting children’s winter gear donations for both refugees and the community.