Confronting Poverty and Homelessness In Edmonton Head-On

October 14th, 2013 in 2013 Campaign, A fair city, Crime, Policies

I’ve taken a bit of time to reflect this weekend of Thanksgiving about those in difficult circumstances in Edmonton. Last Tuesday, we heard some powerful and heart-wrenching testimony directly from Edmontonians living on the margins at a forum hosted by the Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness.

Edmonton is around the halfway mark of our declared 10-year intention to end homelessness. Admittedly, homelessness ending in a decade was a high mark to aim for. However, that bold goal kept us focused on what we needed to do, and still need to do. And while I am committed to the city’s work in the 10-year Plan to End Homelessness, I believe we should be applying the same discipline and rigour, perhaps even more, in seeking solutions to tackle poverty in Edmonton during our lifetime – as part of long-term prevention of homelessness.

Poverty is complex. Everyone seeks its end. Yet it’s pervasive, to the point that this city has over 37,000 children who deserve to live in far better conditions. The causes of poverty are multi-faceted, incremental, and anything but straightforward. Yes, income-support assistance falls under the purview of other levels of government, but at the municipal level, we can lead a dialog among partners, raise the level of aspiration, and do our part to explore innovative ways to help fellow citizens within our limited current resources. Our role at the municipal level is to spur other levels of government to live up to their responsibilities in supporting and empowering those in need.

Premier Redford has already announced an intention to tackle poverty, but pressure from the cities will keep the province on task. Local grassroots solutions may also prove more efficient and effective than top-down initiatives. Calgary and Red Deer have started long-term poverty-elimination initiatives. Edmonton’s mayor can provide real political leadership to keep this issue in the forefront.

Those living in poverty are disproportionately from immigrant or aboriginal backgrounds, and in both cases the federal government must help build capacity within these communities. Again, municipal leadership in coalition will secure the resources to create successful outcomes in these areas of federal responsibility and jurisdiction. A mayor can be a powerful advocate for these families and individuals, and I intend to be just that.

Edmonton City Council has already begun work on a long-term strategy on poverty and, if elected, I will elevate that effort to a proper Mayor’s Task Force. This will bring the focus and attention required to close the door on poverty in our city within a generation, especially amongst children.

Using the weight of the mayor’s office, I will work with a cross-section of Edmontonians to come together on the issue of poverty, challenging traditional notions and approaches to poverty alleviation. Their mandate? To research and build upon worldwide best practices, and to craft new, real-world strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in our city.

Some of these strategies are simple, such as ensuring that everyone has access to our libraries. We know that education and equal access to knowledge are small but effective ways to help families improve their livelihoods. If elected mayor, I will propose that Edmontonians have equal access to one of society’s last truly public goods: our civic libraries. By doing away with the nominal annual fee, every citizen, regardless of economic situation, will have equal and barrier-free access to Edmonton’s much-celebrated library network. Just as library fees were waived to mark this centennial year, I am confident that — through sponsorships and administrative efficiencies that the library system is looking at — the fee can be completely eliminated without any impact on the tax levy.

Along the same vein, we can address poverty by building on innovations like one started in our city by youth-services librarian Tamsin Shute. Her “Welcome Baby in the Community,” a partnership between Edmonton Public Library and Alberta Health Services, gives parents access to literacy resources for their babies and preschoolers. Early childhood development has proven to be one of the most effective ways of preventing poverty and driving positive life outcomes. Initiatives like this are a way the city can help.

Although we will not eliminate poverty in one City Council term, I am confident that we will have shifted the debate and formed a broad consensus that a serious focus on poverty reduction is morally right — and offers a return on investment. Poverty in our city comes with enormous social costs in terms of policing, health care, and lost productivity. If we as a city can contribute to reducing the root causes of poverty, every citizen will benefit in the long term.

29 thoughts on “Confronting Poverty and Homelessness In Edmonton Head-On”

  1. Don check this out … There is more potential to change this city now then ever…
    Edmonton is my community please help me spread the word.

    http://www.kids4cameras.com
    http://www.streetkidsdiaries.com

    This is the heart of the city… the at risk youth that can dig themselves out of the cracks will be the leaders that pave the way to Edmonton’s greatness…
    Don this city needs to embrace young new leaders. Leaders that have our children’s futures in mind. I would love to be a part of your team in changing the way our world see’s this municipality. I would love to introduce you to some of our future leaders… World leaders.

    Thanks Don

    Jacob Bos

  3. Hi Don.
    Great to read this. Another key area for poverty reduction (in addition to education and income) is wellness. Mental illness affects many who are homeless…. A comprehensive mental health strategy needed. Although this is another thing falling under provincial jurisdiction, municipalities can play a key role in advocating for both prevention & treatment, mental wellness, wraparound services in schools, etc.

    I’m assuming you are familiar with United Way’s Pathways out of Poverty report –3 pillars, 12 benchmarks to eliminate poverty in Capital Region. Very strong work done by people on the front lines.

    Cheers
    Sue

  4. Thanks, Sue – the United Way report is solid, and it’s informed the preliminary work of the current Council initiative led by Cllrs. Henderson and Sohi. We’re building on all of that for sure, and United Way is a key partner already.

  5. Good point, Sue. I think definitely more access to mental health and crisis services. The City of Edmonton Community Services has recently reduced social staff numbers and has decreased the number of free short-term counselling sessions available (I believe from 6 to 3). People who reach out for help need to be getting it, not waiting months to see a professional or resorting to phoning a hotline. We have little to no free long-term counselling in Edmonton. If it exists I’d like to know about it.

    Also, we need more social housing and access to supports. Edmonton’s vacancy rate is far below what is considered healthy (currently below 1%- healthy is more like 6%). Rental prices are simply too high for low income people. People with landlord/tenant issues are often only referred to the LTAB after the fact and often don’t know how to protect themselves or advocate for themselves. Management of housing bodies, such as HomeEd need to focus on fostering good relationships with tenants and offering information, rather than just trying to avoid repairs and implement rent raises and extra fees for parking/late payments to try to recover costs.

    One more thing: Housing First is great, but what about people who don’t meet the “chronically homeless” definition? Capital Region Housing just got hit with a huge budget cut and isn’t creating any new subsidies and is reducing existing subsidies. The shelters in Edmonton aren’t for women and children who are facing homelessness, just for those fleeing domestic violence. There are no shelters for families.
    I better stop now. thanks.

  6. I was heartened to see that your proposed Task Force will have the mandate to “research and build upon worldwide best practices, and to craft new, real-world strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in our city.”

    It acknowledges that we still have much to learn about what is and what is not affective in combatting homelessness. I hope I’m reading into this correctly by inferring that some solutions that are proven to be effective may be counter-intuitive to biases and prejudices held widely by some and that the Task Force will work to educate and, ultimately, engage the ENTIRE community of Edmontonians in achieving our collective goal of ending homelessness in our city.

  7. I was heartened to see that your proposed Task Force will have the mandate to “research and build upon worldwide best practices, and to craft new, real-world strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in our city.”

    It acknowledges that we still have much to learn about what is and what is not effective in combatting homelessness. I hope I’m reading into this correctly by inferring that some solutions that are proven to be effective may be counter-intuitive to biases and prejudices held widely by some and that the Task Force will work to educate and, ultimately, engage the ENTIRE community of Edmontonians in achieving our collective goal of ending homelessness in our city.

  8. I appreciate your commitment to confronting poverty and homelessness head on. Edmonton currently has many different support groups and non-profits that assist in meeting the needs of our inner city community but there does not seem to be a line of communication to one overarching authority who can help to bring all of these groups and non-profits into a partnership of services. Many groups are lacking funding and are at risk of closing their doors – it is an ongoing stress to these organizations and there can be duplication of services. Idea sharing and working together seem to be a most important aspect of meeting the comprehensive needs of our impoverished community. I hope that a Mayor’s Task Force will take this into consideration.
    If you have a chance Don, currently (until Nov 3rd) the Nina Haggerty Centre for Arts is hosting “Reflections of 96th Street” which is artwork from Edmonton’s homeless and impoverished community members. It is just one area of support, provided by our inner city organizations, that is attempting to bring healing to lives that are so broken. It is an opportunity for you to see how gifted people are, even when life is at it’s lowest.

  9. If Children are hungry they cannot learn at home at school or in the library. Families need housing, rents are too high and some do not have a home, are couch surfing. Families need nutritional food before libraries. Don’t get me wrong libraries are great but the root cause of poverty needs to be addressed fits.

  10. Why is it that you type in “Aboriginal” in your website Search and this pops up….. “Confronting Poverty and Homelessness In Edmonton”. We have many many people who do not live in Porverty or are homeless. Why do you think it only effects Aboriginal peoples????????????????

  11. I’m curious regarding the task force team you mentioned. Will it be made of volunteers from the community? Or will it be another task force made up of so called experts in their area who are paid large amount of annual salary, make reports and but no action that follows?
    One thing that I think of when it comes to poverty is good security. Food bank does a good job, but most of the food there are the canned kind which lacks in nutrition. There are community gardens in edmonton, but I think more and easier access to community gardens, especially in low income neighborhood would allow some people to access more nutritious, and lower cost food.

  12. Hi Gary,

    ‘Aboriginal’ brings up the policy on artists and innovation as well. Unfortunately, Aboriginal peoples make up a significant percentage of Edmonton’s persons in need. According to a great program called Homeward Trust, 46% of all homeless people were of Aboriginal descent^1, which is clearly disproportionate as only 5.3% of Edmontonians are of Aboriginal descent.^2

    Don isn’t and would never claim that all Aboriginal people are homeless or in poverty. According to the Local Good, this is what Don had to say:

    “4. How will you address Indigenous Edmontonians’ history and needs?

    Edmonton’s First Nations and Aboriginal populations connect us to our City and region’s past. And these groups will be large part of building our City for the future. The first thing I want to do is make a demonstrated commitment to including them. If I am elected, the first thing I will do upon swearing in is acknowledge that our city stands on Treaty Six lands, and that this is a special gathering place with thousands of years of human history.

    Sometimes the city views Indigenous groups as merely another set of stakeholders, rather than a significant source of history and wisdom. We need to acknowledge and appreciate both more richly. Projects like the proposed Indigenous Peoples’ Experience at Fort Edmonton reflect and respect Indigenous people’s connection to these land builds an inclusive and engaging city for all.

    I also have supported the work to re-imagine the old Fox Farm in Whitemud Ravine as ‘Kihchi Askiy’ – a sacred place for Indigenous peoples to gather and perform ceremonies and observe rituals within the city limits. But there remains serious work to be done to eliminate the racism that many Indigenous people all too often face in our City. As Mayor I will set a firm tone that racism and discrimination is unacceptable in our City.”

    Thanks for reading!

    Best,
    Jordan

    ^1: (http://www.homewardtrust.ca/homelessness/facts-figures.php)
    ^2: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=4811061&Data=Count&SearchText=Edmonton&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1

  13. Hi Don,

    I am a Resident Manager with a property management company here in Edmonton. I think the main reason for people being homeless is due to everyone doing credit checks. 80% of the people who apply with us I have to turn away no matter their circumstance. I am aboriginal and half of the people who get turned away for credit reasons are aboriginal and the other half is white. Having credit should not regulate whether or not you can have a home. Some are homeless and living in hotels and living at shelters, but because they owe places like cashmoney I have to say “sorry but you and your kids are not entitled to having a home because you owe cashmoney”. Of course I don’t say those exact words but I may as well. If you do something about people pulling credit checks on applicants for a home, then I KNOW there would be far less homelessness. Thank you for reading. I hope you do something about this so more of our fellow Edmontonians can have homes.

  14. Hello Don,

    Although I am not a poor person, I see many homeless people in the city. As you said
    “Poverty is complex”. It is very sad to see people who are homeless. I cannot imagine the hardships of not having a roof to over one”s head. How would you, if you become the mayor, institute and implement plans to help these people? And more importantly.
    how would long-term accountability to these plans be ensured?

  15. @ Jacob: Thanks for the offer to help, those are some compelling stories. I’m glad to have you on board as we work towards a more compassionate City.

    I was heartened to see that your proposed Task Force will have the mandate to “research and build upon worldwide best practices, and to craft new, real-world strategies to reduce and ultimately eliminate poverty in our city.”

    It acknowledges that we still have much to learn about what is and what is not affective in combatting homelessness. I hope I’m reading into this correctly by inferring that some solutions that are proven to be effective may be counter-intuitive to biases and prejudices held widely by some and that the Task Force will work to educate and, ultimately, engage the ENTIRE community of Edmontonians in achieving our collective goal of ending homelessness in our city.

  17. @ Rachel: You’re right, any Task Force will have to consider what we’re already doing before making new suggestions.

    Thanks for the heads up about “Reflections”, I’m not sure what my schedule holds, but if I get the chance I’ll be sure to check it out!

  18. @ Marylin: I highlighted access to libraries as something that’s easy to do, and will have an immediate impact for many in our community. As you point out, the barriers facing low-income families are varied and numerous. I’m committed to finding solutions that address them all.

  19. @Shan: Any task force on homelessness will need to have representation from across the community. But more than that, it will also have to meet with representatives from groups that are most affected by poverty and homelessness.

  20. @ Shyanne: Thanks for the suggestion; it’s an interesting one. However, I think that addressing the root causes of poverty will accomplish the same, and help alleviate more of the underlying issues.

  21. @ Alvin: We do need action, not just words. That’s why I want to create a mayor’s task force. This would lend both the weight and accountability to our work on addressing this issue

  22. Don,
    Hi I am a student in college doing goals and volunteer work, and I would love to share an idea with you that may change or start a change on people being homeless, where would I share this idea privately ? please can you email me and let me know how I can share this idea with you so maybe we can make a change sooner than later winter is here we can house these people I am willing to volunteer most my time and I also have others that are on the same page, we cant just discuss the changes anymore we need to act, I would love to be a voice for the people whom are struggling no matter what there faults are, safety has been talked about and I have some super ideas and I would love to give back.

  23. Hi Don,
    I’m just wondering what kind of advocacy activities the Poverty Elimination Committee is doing?

  24. Thanks, Hasiba – that has yet to be determined as the new task force has not met yet, but advocacy will be an element of our work.

  25. Thanks so much for your response. I’m assuming this meeting would not be in the next week, would it?
    I’m working on a paper at the University of Alberta regarding groups that are actively advocating. Would you know of any in our city that would be actively participating in advocacy?

  26. Homelessness is a man-made All levels of government have a responsibility to alleviate the suffering and death that homelessness creates. Stop punishing the poor. A National Housing Strategy is the answer. The governments failure to implement a National and provincial Housing Strategy violates human rights. I believe the right to housing belong in Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

  27. what about those of us trying to access resources but being turned down? i tried to leave an abusive relationship. i took my child with me to win house (took 8 days in captivity to be alone with my child to be able to take her) i made mistake of visitation and he called crisis. i was arrested and he was able to keep her. then he told child services lies and they want me to jump through hoops. he is still in possession of her. which in turn had income support give me peanuts i cant live on qnd i am homeless. i keep trying to get help but there is none. i cant even get fleeing abuse benefits until im in a permanent home. so i lost my child who is my wworld my family my home and everything i owned. i am being forced back to my abusive relationship by him and he is getting help from the city to do it. the system is so messed up. its wrong. so wrong. i get to stay homeless or get hit when i say wrong thing. and worse than both i dont have my daughter

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