The Salvation Army has partnered up with the United Way to open a new homeless shelter in Regina to help men in cold weather.

The Cold Weather Response Program is a pilot project that was initiated after a Prince Albert man died last year after being in the cold for an extended period of time.

It will expand the Salvation Army's Waterston House, a permanent shelter, by 15 beds, to make up for the over-capacity the shelter experiences on weekends.

Capt. Ben Lippers, the shelter's executive director, told CBC News six men stayed there Friday night.

"We decided to take action because we didn't want anybody caught," said Lippers. "I don't want them to sleep outside in the weather that we have now."

Lippers said the shelter will also give them a better idea of how many homeless men are in the city.

The extra beds will be located downstairs from the main shelter at its 1845 Osler Street location.

The program will run from 8 p.m. CST to 8 a.m. CST until April 30. Clients will have access to a snack in the evening, breakfast in the morning, and shower and bathroom facilities.

The United Way is contributing $40,300 to the project while Waterston House is putting in $12,000.