New Year-Round Day Spaces to Support Calgarians Experiencing Homelessness
Building on the success of Calgary’s Extreme Weather Response (EWR) program, a partnership between Calgary Homeless Foundation, The City of Calgary, Calgary Police Service, and United Way of Calgary and Area has led to the creation of two new year-round Day Spaces to support individuals at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
What Are Day Spaces?
Day Spaces offer safe, low-barrier alternatives to public spaces during daytime hours. They provide a welcoming environment where individuals can rest, enjoy a hot meal or beverage, and connect with essential resources, such as housing programs, health supports, and referrals to shelters.
These spaces complement existing resource centres and serve as crucial points of connection for people seeking stability and long-term support.
From Winter Response to Year-Round Support
The expansion of two former warming spaces into permanent Day Spaces is a direct result of the community’s response to Calgary’s EWR program. During the 2024–25 winter season alone, warming spaces recorded more than 37,000 visits, demonstrating their critical role in the city’s homelessness response system.
The two locations selected include:
Downtown Day Space: The Mustard Seed
The first of these spaces will expand on the work currently being done by The Mustard Seed at their Community Impact Centre in Downtown Calgary. The daily capacity of this space will increase from 300 to 450, providing low barrier access for those experiencing homelessness. The Mustard Seed will build on their current EWR programming providing hygiene items, clothing, hot lunches, as well as connection to essential support services including employment coaching and housing supports.
Southwest Calgary Day Space: Journey Church + Distress Centre Calgary
The second location will build on the existing partnership between Journey Church Warming Centre and Distress Centre Calgary. With support from experienced staff provided by Distress Centre, Journey Church will continue to offer essential services including meals and beverages, clothing items, and hygiene items. In addition, individuals can be connected to support services, including referrals to detox and applications for addictions treatment services, completion of housing assessments and housing plans, and individualized financial education and coaching services.
Both Day Spaces provide critical shelter from extreme weather—heat, cold, or smoke—and act as key touchpoints for connecting individuals to long-term housing and wellness services.
This initiative reflects a collective commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable Calgarians and advancing long-term solutions to homelessness through collaboration, compassion, and community action.