The city is pushing for more money to continue operating a safe ride vehicle that brings intoxicated individuals to shelters around Yellowknife, but that money wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be coming from the territorial government.

While there is enough money to keep the vanSA国际影视传媒檚 wheels rolling through December, city officials are SA国际影视传媒渁nxiouslySA国际影视传媒� looking for more funding to continue the program beyond this year, said Sheila Bassi-Kellett, the citySA国际影视传媒檚 senior administrative officer.

SA国际影视传媒淲e don't have anything firm yet, but we're continuing to push really, really hard,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Health and Social Services Minister Glen Abernethy told Yellowknifer the city hasn't asked the GNWT for funding for the program.

SA国际影视传媒淲e, on the other hand, are funding the sobering centre and the day shelter. We have over $1.4 million annually committed to those initiatives,SA国际影视传媒� he said last month.

Over the summer, the City of Yellowknife learned it would not be getting $100,000 in funding for the safe ride SA国际影视传媒� or mobile outreach SA国际影视传媒� program it had expected to receive through the federal governmentSA国际影视传媒檚 Homelessness Partnering Strategy.

It turned out the program didnSA国际影视传媒檛 fit the funding criteria, said Bassi-Kellett.

That left the city with $100,000 from its own budget to support the safe ride until the end of 2017.

By August, city council had voted to top up that funding with another $78,000.

Although the GNWT isnSA国际影视传媒檛 providing money for the program, she said it is helping broker a deal.

SA国际影视传媒淔rankly, they're not funding us adequately as a municipal government on a lot of levels. We are $11-million underfunded by MACA, based on MACA's own methodology for funding community governments,SA国际影视传媒� said Bassi-Kellett. SA国际影视传媒淪o we're feeling the pinch. We have stepped up on this one because no one else is going to deal with this stuff if we don't.SA国际影视传媒�

While the city isnSA国际影视传媒檛 going to sit down and tell the GNWT it canSA国际影视传媒檛 do anything without them, said Bassi-Kellett, she added the issues of homelessness and alcoholism are bigger than the municipal government.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're scraping where we can to find this,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Caroline Cochrane said she is SA国际影视传媒渁ctively advocatingSA国际影视传媒� for more federal funding for housing and homelessness.

While she isnSA国际影视传媒檛 asking for money specifically for the safe ride program, she is pushing for more leeway with how federal dollars are used SA国际影视传媒渟o provinces and territories can actually use the funding that we receive in a more flexible model that can meet the needs of people,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane. SA国际影视传媒淭hat does include the homelessness monies and how we use that funding.SA国际影视传媒�

A base plus funding formula, rather than per capita, is another change Cochrane said would help the territory.

Under a base plus funding formula, provinces and territories would receive the same base amount of money plus additional funding per capita.

SA国际影视传媒淗omelessness money is actually (an) agreement between the City of Yellowknife and the federal government,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane. SA国际影视传媒淏ut we are trying to look at advocating for their needs, because homelessness is an issue that affects all communities.SA国际影视传媒�

At the same time as the city is SA国际影视传媒渂eating at the bushesSA国际影视传媒� for more safe ride program funding, according to Bassi-Kellett, the GNWT is searching for an interim location for the sobering centre.

The two programs have worked in tandem, with the safe ride vehicle transporting many intoxicated individuals to the sobering centre while it was open.

The sobering centre was temporarily located at the Yellowknife Community Arena from mid-July to Sept. 15, but is now without a home as the arena is being used once again for sports.

Last week, the city and GNWT jointly extended a call for a suitable interim location for the sobering centre while the permanent location at 5111 50 Street undergoes upgrades.

SA国际影视传媒淧reliminary numbers/results indicate the service had a positive impact on the workload of emergency services resources (, ambulance and first responders),SA国际影视传媒� stated the news release. SA国际影视传媒淕NWT needs to find an interim location to continue to provide this vital service, particularly over the coming winter months.SA国际影视传媒�

Once the sobering centre has been up and running efficiently for at least a year, the GNWT could consider a managed alcohol program, Abernethy told the legislative assembly on Sept. 26.

SA国际影视传媒淏oth the sobering centre and the safe ride program are great programs,SA国际影视传媒� Abernethy said. SA国际影视传媒淲e need to make sure they're there SA国际影视传媒� that they're there for the long run.SA国际影视传媒�