Red Lake Emergency Shelter opens new location

The new location of the Red Lake Emergency Shelter will make it easier for clients to access services in the northwestern Ontario community, while also providing them with more privacy.

The shelter was previously located a few kilometres from the downtown area, tucked away in the northern portion of the town.

Janalee Jodouin, the shelter's executive director and operations manager, said the move has been a long time coming, noting theprevious building had mould, was too small, and the design was not conducive to a shelter.

The safety of theclients was "the priority" when determining how to configure the building on Howey Street, said Jodouin.

"Everything else was 'we'll figure it out.' We have the room, we'll map it out. Line of sight was important so we can see our clientsat all times. We don't have many problems, I run a tight ship, everybody has mutual respect for each other and we promote that at the shelter."

Jodouinsaid the new shelter is designed to have living space downstairs with ten beds for men, and four for women. The living space includes a kitchen, living room, dining area and an outdoor courtyard.

"We also want people to feel welcome. If you're hungry, you eat. If you want a drink, you get a drink. And, I think that's what's made us successful in the last four years, is that we opened up those barriers. These people already suffer enough systemic barriersin life, they don't need to have to ask to get a drink of water."

One difference of the Red Lake shelter, compared to many others in the region, is the number of transitional clients seen in the northern community, with someclients only staying for a few nights.

"If a client is needing to get backhome, they're stuck in Red Lake, that's where we get them. We work to get them home."

"This is not a flop house. We are here to help people who are here in a truly emergent situation. Whether that be homeless, or they're stuck in the community."

Jodouinsaid there are some clients who are more permanent fixtures at the facility, with two apartments being built on the shelter's main floor.

Those apartments could help clients, who have been with the shelter for a longer period of time, ease their way into transitional housing.

"It's all about love. It's all about people needing love, giving love, feeling love. If you have that in your life, you want more of life."

The cost for the renovations and purchasing the building were mostly covered by grants from the United Way. Jodouinsaid those grants total $375,000, while she expects the total cost of the job to be about $600,000.

"If one of them gets a better life from it, that's all worth it. So, it's a little bit secluded for our clients, it has public access for the public, but gives a little more privacy for our clients, and that's what they're really needing."