Blood Tribe Department of Health to close White Calf Shelter in Standoff, Alta.

People sleeping at the White Calf Shelter in Standoff, Alta., will soon need to find a new place to go.

Shelter users were informed it will close on June 16.

The shelter is managed by the Blood Tribe Department of Health.

It sits in the White Calf Community Hall and became an emergency shelter in December 2022.

Upward of 30 people a night stay there.

Blood Tribe administration asked the Department of Health to turn the building back into a community hall.

Financial pressure and a lack of stable funding for the shelter were also key factors in its closure.

In a statement, Blood Tribe Department of Health CEO Derrick Fox said the decision “was not made lightly,” but that it was “no longer feasible to continue running the White Calf Shelter.”

“As we move forward, we remain committed to advocating for sustainable, long-term solutions that ensure our most vulnerable community members have continued access to emergency shelter services and supports on-reserve,” the statement said.

“In the immediate term, we are actively working to help connect former shelter guests with the appropriate housing and social services offered by Blood Tribe administration.”

Those using the shelter in Standoff can still use the Blood Tribe Department of Health shelters in Lethbridge and Moses Lake.

Currently, there are no plans for another shelter in Standoff.