Encampments: no single solution, but a compassionate approach
An update on the complexities of Edmonton’s encampment response.
Last weekend I visited A Taste of Ramadan, an event hosted by Al Rashid Mosque and Edmonton Community Foundation in Churchill Square. This event brought support agencies, public services and a warm meal to our downtown residents. As I walked through the service booths and visited with folks eating their hamburgers, I reflected on how similar their stories were to mine. I know the courage that it takes to rebuild a new life. I know the power of community and the fact that outreach and compassion is the best way to make change.
But, to permanently tackle the issue of houselesness in Edmonton, we cannot rely on the efforts of community groups alone. We are pushing against decades of government inaction and the myth of personal responsibility as the answer to houselessness. We are also experiencing a drug poisoning epidemic and mental health crisis. And all of these realities are disproportionately affecting Indigenous Edmontonians. Our residents and neighbours are hurting, and I feel for them. This is not an issue that is unique to Edmonton, but we have a duty to explore all the tools possible and work towards a solution.
On Monday, May 9th City Council will be discussing the Homelessness and Encampment Response Strategy and our next steps to addressing this crisis.
Summer 2022 Updates:
Administration has completed a review of their 2021 encampment response to inform their strategy this year. It is good to see community feedback and research from other cities were included, however, perspectives from folks with lived experience are missing. I hope to see voices of neighbours experiencing houselessness included in future plans.
Though this response has succeeded in preventing camps from becoming larger scale, Admin has acknowledged that the current strategy constantly displaces camp residents and breeds distrust of frontline staff. Other short and long term interventions were also identified in the report including these updates that will launch through the summer:
Challenges and Solutions:
The pandemic has shown us that the status quo is not working and will become even less effective as more of our neighbours fall into houselessness. There has been a lack of investment in affordable housing for over 30 years leaving us to play catch up now (Read my blog on affordable housing). The fact is that we did not have the political will to prevent this crisis from happening.
First, we have to agree that emergency shelters are a gateway to housing or a band-aid solution, not a permanent solution. With provincial funding for temporary shelter space going down 44% by June, we know that there will be more demand for beds than agencies can supply. We also must agree on an acceptable standard for these spaces. Many folks living in our river valley cite concerns of safety, theft, privacy, and lack of culturally-appropriate Indigenous supports in shelters as reasons they do not access these spaces.
- I support minimum emergency shelter standards that encourage shelter operators to better meet the needs of those they serve. Council will receive an update on the City of Edmonton Minimum Emergency Shelter Standards created last year. These standards make recommendations such as allowing couples to stay together, making sure beds are off the floor, and requiring 1 toilet/sink for every 10 persons staying overnight. This will not only make shelters a more attractive option but will help provide a basic level of dignity to those accessing the services.
Filling the 3-decade gap in affordable and supportive housing investments is part of the solution. Your Council has shown over and over our commitment to affordable and supportive housing, and our willingness to explore every tool available to address these intersecting crises. But we can’t do this on our own, we need the provincial government to step up.
The majority of funding for emergency shelters and housing has always come from provincial and federal grants. While the provincial government has scaled back their housing and addictions supports, the federal government has stepped up to provide Edmonton with funding at a scale that lets us make true progress. This will allow the City to hit our goal of building 600 supportive housing units and 2500 affordable units by the end of 2022.
- I am frustrated by the lack of options we have to address this complex problem. We need to take a more human-centered approach to address this issue and be willing to experiment to find innovative solutions. Councillor Tang details more about these kinds of solutions in her recent blog. Read it here.
I have heard from some Edmontonians that are disproportionately impacted by the presence of encampments near their homes. This can often result in social disorder, unsanitary conditions and a loss of their sense of safety. I know Edmontonians are compassionate and was reflected in what we heard from speakers at Committee this week.
Like my neighbours, I want a solution. But I know that to start addressing this ongoing crisis, we must look at the root causes. We must work with our provincial and federal funding partners, City staff, community agencies, neighbourhoods, and folks with lived experience to make sure no one has to weather the burden of houselessness in Edmonton.
Further reading:
City of Edmonton Minimum Shelter Standards 2021
Encampment Response Current Process
See strategies to increase property safety and positive interactions here
