Shelters are a bandage — Housing is the solution

Last night I visited the Commonwealth Community Rec Centre to see first hand the important work our city staff have been doing to address the needs of vulnerable Edmontonians during this cold snap. 

You may recall that last year we opened LRT stations to accommodate those in need who couldn’t reach, or didn’t feel comfortable in, shelters. However, we found that there were significant shortcomings with using LRT stations, including the fact that the stations weren’t very warm, and individuals did not have access to basic hygiene facilities like showers or washrooms.

Sleeping cots at the Commonwealth Rec Centre field house

That is why this year the City chose Commonwealth, as the rec centre is centrally located and has the amenities people need to feel warm, comfortable and safe. Given the space at Commonwealth, we also ensured the dorms we’ve set up can accommodate a range of individuals including families, those with pets, and folks who need storage for their belongings. The goal is to ensure barriers are removed so that everyone who needs shelter can access it.

Staff working to prepare the shelter for patrons

This brings me to our staff who have made this innovative response to the community’s needs possible. Numerous departments across the city took careful steps to ensure we met the needs of vulnerable Edmontonians. In addition to our housing and homelessness and recreational services team, other city teams such as animal control, ETS, EMS and mental health support staff allowed us to deliver a more comprehensive response to patrons’ needs. Staff responded rapidly to different situations that weren’t always anticipated. It was very heartening to see the broad range of city staff who’ve stepped up when called upon to provide help for those in need. 

City staff and partners made this temporary shelter possible.

This is all an emergency response to the extreme cold — normally the city does not run shelters, but in extreme weather conditions like these we activate our Extreme Weather Protocol which allows the City of Edmonton to provide additional shelter space beyond the capacity available in existing shelters. This ensures no one is left outside in the cold because of capacity constraints. 

Patrons being processed for entrance into the shelter.

When the weather is no longer extreme we work with existing shelter providers and partners, like Homeward Trust, to reduce barriers for folks who need shelter space. Ultimately, however, the goal should be to ensure every Edmontonian has a warm and safe home. That is why I remain focused on systemic changes that will end homelessness. This includes advocating for affordable and permanent supportive housing developments. Shelters are a bandage — housing is the solution. 

I had the pleasure of chatting with a few of the patrons. I’m grateful the city was able to step up and provide them with a warm and safe place to stay.

Cities across the country have shown local leadership in tackling housing issues, and Edmonton has among the best track records for big cities: since calling for an end to homelessness 10 years ago, we’ve reduced it by half using the Housing First model. Agencies and partners have housed over 9,500 people and they’ve stayed housed more than 80% of the time. A success rate that disproves the myth that some people who are homeless just don’t want housing. Sadly, the most recent data shows that in 2019, Edmonton still has 1,609 people experiencing homelessness. Each one of them needs dedicated housing, often with the kinds of supports that will keep them out of hospitals and the justice system (but at a fraction of the costs borne mainly by provincial taxpayers today). 

Earlier this week I met with Parliamentary Secretary Adam Vaughn to discuss federal support for housing initiatives in our city. Talks with the federal government have been promising and I’m looking forward to working with them on this file. Yesterday I also invited Ministers from the provincial government to tour our temporary shelter at Commonwealth with me and was pleased to be joined by some of their chiefs of staff. 

I hope federal and provincial governments heed Edmonton’s call to work with us to provide Edmontonians with affordable and permanent supportive housing. We can functionally end homelessness — and the federal government is stepping up alongside cities — we just need the support of willing provincial partners to do it.