This release was issued under a previous government.

Service centre helps veterans get supports

Veterans and project partners join MLA Lorne Dach to officially open the Edmonton Veterans Service Centre.

The Edmonton Veterans Service Centre is now officially open and will connect area veterans with mental and physical health supports, including help with their job search. Since the centre’s soft opening four weeks ago, three veterans have been placed in affordable transitional housing, getting them out of the cold.

“We know that for the brave men and women who serve in our military, hanging up the uniform and transitioning to civilian life can be tough. The Veterans Service Centre is already proving to be key to helping veterans at risk of homelessness obtain the supports they need.”

Nicole Goehring, MLA and Government of Alberta Liaison to the Canadian Armed Forces

The service centre is a single location for veterans to access a range of services available through partnerships with veteran-serving organizations such as the Royal Canadian Legion, Alberta NWT Command and Forces@WORK, a Prospect Human Services project.

Veterans Emergency Transition Services (VETS) Canada, a
non-profit organization, manages the operations of the Veterans Service Centre. When possible, VETS Canada brings services into the centre to make it easier for veterans to get support without commuting across the city.

The service centre is located along public transportation routes with access to the downtown core, the operational stress injury clinic and the Edmonton Garrison. It is just steps away from an apartment building, purchased by the Government of Alberta, to provide transitional housing for 15 homeless veterans. The Royal Canadian Legion, Alberta-NWT Command, contributed up to $75,000 to furnish the suites in the building.