REGINA — On Saturday night, 181 walkers stepped out from the YWCA Regina kikaskihtânaw Centre on 12th Avenue for this year’s Coldest Night of the Year, raising $74,432 to support women and families facing homelessness in the city.
The national fundraiser, held in more than 200 communities across Canada each February, supports local charities serving people experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger. Regina has participated for 11 years.
Walkers chose 2 km and 5 km routes through downtown before returning to the Centre. Nearly 50 volunteers helped run the event, with support from local businesses and community groups. Casino Regina served as lead sponsor.
Skylar Gerard, Director of Communications at YWCA Regina, called it a strong showing from the community.
“We’re currently sitting at just over seventy-four thousand dollars raised of our one hundred thousand dollar goal,” Gerard said. “A large portion of that was raised by walkers and their networks, and just over twenty-eight thousand came directly in donations to our two shelters, My Aunt’s Place and Joan’s Place. We had lots of families out, lots of people from the community. It truly takes a village, and our village showed up.”
Of the total raised, $46,237 came through team fundraising efforts tied directly to the walk, with more than $28,000 donated outright to the shelters.
The need remains significant.
According to Regina’s most recent Point-In-Time Count, approximately 767 people were experiencing homelessness on any given winter night last year. Many were women and families. The report does not fully capture hidden homelessness, including those couch-surfing, living in overcrowded housing or staying in unsafe situations because they have nowhere else to go.
In 2025, 789 women and children stayed in YWCA Regina’s emergency shelters. More than four times that number were turned away because beds were full.
Funds raised through Coldest Night of the Year support My Aunt’s Place and Joan’s Place, the only emergency shelters in southern Saskatchewan designed specifically for women and gender-diverse individuals. The money helps sustain 24-hour safety, meals, case planning, programming and pathways to housing.
Gerard said the event is about more than dollars.
“This shines a light on what’s happening in our community,” she said. “There are women fleeing violence, families navigating housing instability, mothers trying to keep their children safe. This is happening right now, every day. Especially in the winter.”
YWCA Regina is still working toward its $100,000 goal and continues to accept donations.
On one of the coldest nights of the year, hundreds of Reginans proved something simple and powerful: no one should have to face winter alone.
