North Battleford shelter struggles with funding

North Battleford shelter struggles with funding Changes in funding by the province could force the†Lighthouse Supported Living shelter in North Battleford to close its doors. In November, the Ministry of Social Services told the shelter program it would not be paying for anyone it considered living on reserve, which could result in a slash of approximately 90 per cent in funding. The province does not have a contract with the shelter. It pays only the per diem rate for eligible individuals. North Battleford is surrounded by nine reserves and has high rates of First Nations’ use. The shelter had originally planned to close at the end of January, but a donation from the Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs enabled them to stay open until March.