Province to backstop Siloam Mission operations amid cash crunch

The Manitoba government said Friday it will provide funding to cash-strapped Siloam Mission to keep its overnight shelter and drop-in centre open until March 2027.

The move is expected to avert service reductions that were set to take effect July 1 and were in response to the charity’s drop in donations.

The organization, which helps the homeless population, had announced it would eliminate 16 positions and reduce drop-in hours in response to its projected $4.4-million deficit. It’s unclear whether the funding will prevent layoffs.

Siloam said Friday it would wait for the province to officially announce the funding before commenting.

Siloam had planned to cut two to four hours from evening drop-in operations, which typically operate from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a daily closure from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for cleaning.

Siloam announced last month it had secured funding to maintain current drop-in operations throughout June “while long-term funding solutions continue to be pursued.”

Sources said the mission’s overnight shelter, which can accommodate 250 people, has become increasingly important following the closure of N’Dinawemak, a 200-bed shelter at 190 Disraeli Fwy. The facility is being converted into a navigation centre for the homeless population. The province has said the new centre is expected to open this winter.

Jamil Mahmood, executive director Main Street Project, welcomed the funding commitment.

“It’s really good news,” he said. “I don’t think we could have been able to manage losing that much from the drop-in and overnight shelter right now because there is literally nowhere to go.”

Mahmood said the threat of losing Siloam’s overnight space on July 1 showed how close the shelter sector is to a crisis, especially in the midst the overdose crisis.

“Losing all of those beds, and the drop-in hours, would really be catastrophic, so I am glad we’ve avoided that,” he said. “I’m glad the province is stepping up to make sure we have those spaces. It’s getting really hard on the front line, so any bit of relief like this, and extension of these crucial emergency steps, go a really long way to help.

“Hopefully, this will trigger a broader conversation on how do we make housing come online quick and make housing available for everybody who needs it.”

Siloam is undergoing a six-month “organizational support plan and leadership transition” after parting ways with CEO Sonia Prevost-Derbecker last month. In February, she was named Siloam’s fourth CEO in five years but departed after a tumultuous time running the charity.

The support plan includes tighter financial oversight, reviews of Siloam’s organizational structure and fundraising operations, a governance review, and leadership transition measures.

The organization has also brought in a temporary local executive support team with expertise in financial management, operations, governance and charitable fundraising.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca