Lack of funding forces Medicine Hat youth shelter to close

The McMan youth shelter in Medicine Hat has shut down after its last night of operation on Thursday, leaving few options for at-risk youth.

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - The Roots Youth Shelter has officially shut down after its final intake Thursday evening.

The shelter had four beds for Medicine Hat youth without anywhere safe to go.

In recent months, it’s been near or at capacity on a nightly basis.

But after a change in funding, McMan could no longer safely operate it.

“We have had high occupancy rates, particularly over the past year,” said Damon Van Ginneken, director of services for McMan South.

“We’ve seen an increase in service demand year over year, tracking back the last three years.

“There are youth that we know don’t have safe homes right now in Medicine Hat.”

The closure leaves the city of 60,000 without a youth shelter.

“There are times where we have some migration between the two cities. And the Medicine Hat shelter would help the Lethbridge one and vice versa. But now with that resource removed, I believe Lethbridge is the only one south of Calgary,” said Van Ginneken.

Funding

Much of the funding came through federal money administered through the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society and the province.

McMan learned it would no longer receive that funding in stream.

The province addressed the funding cut in a statement, saying, “Children and Family Services provided $335,000 to support the continued operation of Roots Youth Shelter to ensure that we are able to support and protect children and youth who are at risk of neglect or abuse, including homelessness.”

McMan still operates a youth hub in Medicine Hat and has offices across southern Alberta.

Shutting down the shelter is a tough loss, but the organization is still doing what it can.

“They can help with supporting job acquisition support, getting a place via market rent and things like that. So they are there to help support those kids who are at risk of homelessness,” said Van Ginneken.