Alberta government cuts $3.2M in funding to Calgary Homeless Foundation

The Calgary Homeless Foundation, which helps fund approximately 30 agencies across the city, is faced with a nearly eight per cent cut to its provincial funding. 

That amounts to a drop of about $3.2 million for the current year.

CEO Diana Krecsy says the foundation will continue to be able to house current clients, which include the Alpha House, Inn from the Cold, The Alex and more. But they will affect efforts to prevent homelessness, she warned.

"It does have impact in the community," she said. "We do have to reduce things that we're doing and it will impact the system of care, but we are hopeful and optimistic that when they bring in their budget that this will be restored and it will be brought up to the level that actually matches the need in community again." 

Uncertainty across sectors

The provincial government has said it will table a budget in October, a delay which has seen funding uncertainty hit numerous organizations and sectors. 

Libraries across the province have been given half of their funding, with no word on whether the remaining half will materialize after October.

It's the same situation facing the Calgary Police Service. 

School boards are also starting the year off without funding certainty and the Alberta Teachers' Association fears that will mean a shortage of staff come the fall. 

Arts organizations are also wondering whether promised grant money will continue to flow after operational funds normally paid out in full at the beginning of the year have now been segmented into quarterly cheques. 

Holding the line

Krescy says the cuts to her organization will ripple through those it funds.

"We'll have to find other ways that hopefully these people will not fall into homelessness," she said of clients.

"Right now, those in the system are stabilized and we'll still be able to manage the load, but other things like adding programs, which we would have done with extra cash flow, and getting more people out and adding more affordable housing — that's on hold."