(Ross Lavigne/ CHATNEWSTODAY)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Daytime shelter working to keep vulnerable warm during cold snap

Feb 5, 2021 | 5:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB-With temperatures expected to stay near minus twenty degrees, and feel like minus thirty with the windchill, all weekend, the city’s new daytime shelter is busy ensuring people who are vulnerable have a warm, safe place to go.

The daytime shelter — located at 616 third street is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The aim of shelter is to give the vulnerable a warm place to go when the overnight shelter is closed. The shelter, put in place by the province as part of an emergency response also strives to bridge a gap in services that has been brought on by the pandemic which has resulted in closures to the library and other facilities where the vulnerable in the city stay to get warm.

The shelter has been open since December and provides resource connections like housing, addiction and mental health.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat: April 2-5

Apr 02, 2026

What's On

Top five things to do at the Medicine Hat Public Library in April

Apr 01, 2026

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat: March 27-29

Mar 27, 2026

Tracie Mutschler, Executive Director of McMan Youth Family and Community Services said more people have come through their doors as the temperature dips.

“ Because of the restrictions of COVID-19 a lot of places are shut down, so this will be one of the only places that is open for people to come for shelter and even over the past few days as we’ve seen the temperature drop we’ve seen on average 10 to 15 more participants per day,” she said.

COVID-19 screening takes place at the entrance and tables are spaced out to meet physical distancing requirements. PPE, and hand sanitizer are also on hand to keep visitors safe.

Mutschler said over the past day and a half they have managed to connect 10 visitors with housing and support services.

And in total since opening their doors, 210 people have accessed the shelter service.

“I’m really thankful that we have this space to provide protection to people in the elements, especially now we all knew that winter was going to come at some point, and here it is, so we are happy to support the community,” Mutschler said.