SafeLink says drop-in centre will close without funding

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on January 8, 2026.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

Following an update at Monday’s city council meeting, SafeLink tells the News it may have to close its drop-in centre should the current funding situation not change.

The centre is currently the only low-barrier daytime space within the City of Medicine Hat, says executive director Katie Ayres.

She says the centre serves as a much-needed entry point for people who use drugs, people experiencing homelessness and individuals seeking low-barrier health and social services.

“The potential closure of this space would leave a significant gap in the community’s safety net, particularly during the winter months, increasing pressure on emergency services and placing the community’s most vulnerable residents at greater risk,” said Ayres, explaining that 60-70 people rely on the centre daily within the community for support and without it, providers do not currently have another drop-in space to absorb displaced clients.

Without anticipated funding streams to support Medicine Hat’s operations, she predicts that SafeLink Alberta will need to reduce its staff team by more than half, meaning they will not have the staff complement able to safely operate the centre.

This loss, Ayres predicts, would likely increase interactions of this vulnerable population with police, EMS and hospital emergency departments.

An application for federal funding that would have seen the city and SafeLink partner on providing daytime shelter space for the homeless was kiboshed by the provincial government, which said SafeLink did not “align with its recovery-based model” of addictions treatment.

The SafeLink drop-in centre currently helps with system navigation, early-stage stabilization and crisis prevention, low-barrier testing for HIV, Hepatitis C, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea, wound care and health education, as well as serving as an informal hub for multiple system partners.

Despite receiving no funding for this role, Recovery Alberta nurses, Recovery Alberta ODP Clinic staff, Mustard Seed staff, Corrections/probation representatives and Housing support providers currently work out of the SafeLink drop-in centre.

“SafeLink Alberta is facing significant and difficult changes to our service delivery model in Medicine Hat. While no final decisions have been made, without sustainable funding, we will likely be unable to continue operating our drop-in centre beyond the end of January,” said Ayres.

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