Coldest Night walk raises record amount

St. Vital

In November, I wrote about St. Boniface Street Links annual Coldest Night of the Year walk, which took place on Feb. 28, 2026.

Thanks to over 20 volunteers, including and especially the Catholic Women’s League and other Holy Cross Church supporters, the event was a huge success.

Each year, charities across Canada serving the most vulnerable host CNOY events, taking two- or five-kilometre walks through their neighbourhoods, with teams and participants raising funds in support of their walk. The event was also generously supported by the business and philanthropic community. Street Links, a housing-first organization dedicated to ending homelessness and providing a pathway out of addiction, has been holding its CNOY event for five years now.

This year, 169 registered walkers on more than 30 teams set out from Holy Cross Church (252 Dubuc St.), supported by many generous local businesses. As event organizer, I am proud to say this year’s event was the most successful of any previous year, raising over $60,000.

This year’s route took our five-kilometre participants along Dubuc Street to St Mary’s Road, south to a hot chocolate/warming station at 604 St Mary’s Rd., then back north to Vivian Avenue, east to Des Meurons Street, and then back to Dubuc to return to Holy Cross. If you were out that evening, you may have seen walkers with this year’s signature CNOY toque with yellow and light blue trim.

Every penny raised will go towards enhancing and maintaining Street Links programs, including:

• The 12-bed community-based recovery program at Morberg House on Provencher Boulevard;

• The Street Links mobile outreach team, including its community safety and crime prevention mandate;

• Housing unsheltered people from our 24/7 Safe Space at 604 St Mary’s Rd.;

• Staffing and support of Street Links private landlord partnership transitional housing at 259 Fountain Ave.

Mark your calendars for CNOY 2027, set for Feb. 27 (the last Saturday of the month), when we hope to make the event once again our best and highest grossing ever.