Regina

Regina is Saskatchewan's capital, a prairie city of wide skies and a downtown that empties out fast once the government offices close for the day, with winters that turn genuinely dangerous and summers that offer a real break if you know where to find shade and water. The average household income here sits around $100,000, but that number hides a lot of people getting by on far less, and a point-in-time count in 2022 identified roughly 260 individuals experiencing homelessness on any given night in the city, a figure advocates believe undercounts the real total. Carmichael Outreach has long been a steady presence for people needing basic supplies, connection, and a bit of dignity during the day. The Regina Treaty/Status Indian Services and the Salvation Army both run programs that can mean a hot meal, a shower, or a bed on a cold night, and the Newo Yotina Friendship Centre offers support rooted in respect for Indigenous people, who are disproportionately affected by homelessness here. This city can feel unforgiving in January, but there are people in it who have not given up on you. You are not invisible here, and you are not alone in this.