'I struggled the same way they do': Inside the Labrador shelter that isn't

Joseph Pijogge quickly goes door to door down a long corridor in the Labrador Inn.

One by one, he grabs the small, black plastic garbage bags outside each room.

"We did this room yesterday. It's empty until another person checks in. Usually someone checks in," Pijogge says, in an unvarnished room with two double beds. 

"All the rooms are full except this one."

The Labrador Inn has been providing food and shelter to homeless people in Happy Valley-Goose Bay for two years. The funding comes from the provincial government, but that's the extent of the agreement. 

There are no in-house social or health services, or security paid for by the province.

The provincial government pays $125 plus HST per night, per person. 

While it varies night to night, there are routinely about 20 people staying there. However, that number can drastically change, and they have housed more than 30 people at a time, far surpassing the capacity of the Housing Hub, the local shelter. 

One night this week, the Labrador Inn took in 37 people — five over capacity, in an effort to ensure people were inside, safe from the elements.

Some residents have lived there for more than a year. 

Frederica Benuen, 28, of Natuashish was at the Labrador Inn for only a short time before she died.

Benuen died outside the inn on Jan. 19. Video footage shows her appearing to drink alcohol outside with three men. They went inside, and Benuen remained there throughout the night. Inn staff say the person on the front desk was unaware she was outside.

She was the second homeless person to die within six weeks in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, outside a government-funded building meant to house the vulnerable population.

Lukie Karpik, 35, was found outside the Housing Hub, the homeless shelter, on Dec. 7. The operator of the facility says Karpik never tried to enter the building that night.