Summerside shelter is helping many escape the cold, prompting calls for its expansion

Andrea Schurman is no stranger to having a full house as the manager of the men's shelter on Winter Street in Summerside.

Schurman said she's used to seeing all 10 of the shelter's beds full most nights — and when one becomes available, it’s usually swept up pretty quickly.

“There’s usually about four or five people on [the waitlist]," she said. “I do definitely feel there should be more services in the Summerside area.” 

Since the fall of 2024, help has also been available at Summerside's 10-bed emergency shelter, which Schurman said has made a difference. 

“If we have a client we can’t take in for the night, they’ve always been really great and been able to accommodate that for us.”

Elysha Whitlock with The Village Summerside said the non-profit has also experienced benefits from having the emergency shelter in the city.

But the shelter, which is operated by the province, has been at full capacity nearly every month since June.

Whitlock said that makes it hard to keep up with the community demand. 

“We do see the impact first hand of having limited shelter capacity," she said. “The fact that the emergency shelter has been at full capacity since opening only highlights that there is a clear and ongoing need for additional supports.”

The province said in a statement that it has no plans to expand the shelter's capacity, but that overflow beds are made available in emergencies to ensure everyone has a place to sleep.  

But Whitlock said the resources available to do that aren’t always enough. 

“I believe expansion is the true solution here," she said. "I fully recognize that expanding the shelter capacity is not going to be a simple decision. However, when a shelter consistently reaches capacity, it means there are still people in crisis who can’t access a safe place to stay.”

Schurman said shelters across the Island have been working to better serve those in need by improving communication between organizations and social service providers.

“We work very closely at keeping track of our clients and looking out for their safety,” she said.