Legislation needed to address homeless camps
By Lethbridge Herald on June 8, 2022.
Editor:
As the weather warms, we have an influx of transients flowing into our city from other provinces and cities since we have so many services set up to support them. We also have grey areas in our Canadian legal system that slow some enforcement efforts in this province from moving encampments along.
There is precedent set, “Victoria vs Adams”, that allow shelters to be set up in some circumstances where there are no housing/sheltering services available, but it doesn’t allow homeless to set up and break laws without facing eviction from the area. It is under the Charter, Section 7 that many stand on allowing shelters for homeless, but that is when an area is not supplying ‘reasonable’ housing/shelter services. We are!
Where will it end? Vancouver DTES spends over $360 million annually on social and housing services with no end in sight for a total population of under 20,000 people in the DTES alone. They continue to grow their services, but more people arrive, attracted by all the services provided.
Lethbridge is heading down that road! Politicians were elected to pass legislation to protect people, instead they spend most of their time trying to bring down governments or fighting amongst themselves, rarely getting needed legislation passed so law enforcement have clear and defined rules to enforce.
There just is no excuse for legislation not being in place! So, now we have to give up our parks and our neighbourhoods because of grey areas in our legal system!
Nothing like trying to use the Civic Center track with addicts doing drugs or sleeping all day, leaving piles of feces to dodge, so they can wreak havoc all night, committing crimes.
So, why work? Why pay taxes?
Why don’t we all just sell our homes, buy a wagon, a tarp, a sleeping bag and become urban campers in the parks, where two to three different groups bring food and drink right to you throughout day night or you can go to the soup kitchen daily for meals, clothes are given free by other organizations, and when your support cheque comes you can blow it all on alcohol and drugs. No more worries if you need EMS because it is free now! And since the world is falling apart, we can even fog our brains with free opioids prescribed!
Blame the politicians! Blame yourselves!
Barry Ewing
Lethbridge
13-12
You sound extremely frustrated, Mr. Ewing. And, I agree. The homelessness issue is a tragic one which ends up impacting everyone. In fact, we know it to be a national concern.
However, have you ever taken the time to give thought to the possible reasons behind why so many people now find themselves homeless?
Perhaps the “legislation” to speak to and endorse is not one of moving homeless folks along, but solid and sound legislation written to address the many causes of homelessness.
“The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” – Mahatma Gandhi
https://www.calgaryhomeless.com/discover-learn/learn-about-homelessness/homelessness-in-calgary/causes/
https://raisingtheroof.org/what-is-homelessness/
excellent reply, imo. seems societies too often react so as to try and address the symptoms, rather seek to get at the core causes.
i believe, barry, that you want what pretty much all of us want – a safe and clean city. it is my opinion that your suggested approach will not deliver on either…unless we erect a wall? as a comedian once noted, roughly, “walls work – i was in china recently and did not see one mexican.”
Gee IMO . . . never thought about that! Not sure what you mean by ‘moving them along’? Do you really know how much damage happens on our streets at night time . . . the B&E’s, the vandalism, the graffiti, the fires . . . the cost to the taxpayer . . . Canada is in trouble financially and we are knocking on the doors of a ‘debt wall’ that could shake up the whole country. Lethbridge is not Calgary! It is not Edmonton! You mention Mahatma Gandhi . . . are you aware that India still operates under the cast system and by the way, look at the poverty and how they treat their people! We have jobs here that people can be employed in, supporting themselves, not the case for India.
And . . .of course I have thought about it, a great deal! I have faced these issues personally since 2015, having my vehicle broke into, our facility fortified for almost $40,000, our neighbourhood over-run with addicts after the SCS opened. By way, the number of fatal overdoses increased when it opened!
If man can get everything given to them, they will not work! True, there are many reasons why these people are on the streets, most of which are due to drugs. Socialism failed worldwide and ended in dictators murdering hundreds of thousands. Wake up call . . . the world is in turmoil!
It should be noted that Lethbridge didn’t have the same types of demographics as Calgary/Edmonton because we didn’t have the high numbers of unemployed oil and gas workers or vets suffering from combat stress injuries and others that just couldn’t afford to pay their bills when they lost jobs due to high real estate costs. Lethbridge was not one of those hit in this manner.
When this all began, most were indigenous and the issues were noted in 2015 when indigenous gangs battled for turf in Lethbridge and we had all the stabbings. I was one of a few that chose to research the issues as I watched the addicts taking over our streets and at that time 90% were indigenous.
The more services we offer the more will be attracted from outside. As someone else has stated on local issues in the Herald, other communities are dumping their problems on us. People from Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary have been given free transportation here. One homeless person told me the shelter in Calgary was told by Lethbridge they had room for people here and they paid for his ticket down here. This is not uncommon and indigenous communities banish some of their troublemakers and transport them here.
There is so much more going on that you IMO and you Biff obviously are not aware of . . . I am not going into more detail.
Bottom line – I said not to allow the SCS in 2016 to Council saying “Build it and they will come” . . . they did!
BC is the best example by looking at the endless/perpetual money pit they have going and have had for over 18 years, as their issues spread all over the province, with almost 50% of the people in the DTES not even from BC!
The more services your provide, the more people will come! Again, why work when you can do all the drugs you want and get everything given to you! BC is proof of that!
This is not just about the encampments! Crime goes way up, bio-hazards are all over, graffiti and vandalism increase, threats and intimidation increase, and then the taxpayer is on the hook for all the cleanup and those costs are high, not to mention the increased policing costs.
It is not just about the encampments! There are some that need to be in facilities to treat their psychological needs as well!
I know all too well who are on the streets! One last fact you really should wake up to . . . many non-indigenous homeless arrived in our city in the last few weeks that were dumped here and are some of those now in the Civic Center park. There are many transients now on our streets committing crimes and I do not expect with you IMO or Biff to ever agree with anything I say. Maybe you should be the ones with the encampments in your neighbourhood and creating all the negative impacts! There are also indigenous radicals that are purposely creating issues in our city to attack as one told us ‘Englishman’ . . . nothing racist about that eh!!!!
How much money have you pumped into the local non-profits to help these people from your own bank account? I have freely given but know that it will only get worse if changes are not made in how we deal with the issues and we will be just like BC, with a failed harm reduction system that they still actually believe works . . . as many have stated . . . if it worked, than how come after 19 years all the negative impacts have grown annually along with the fatal overdoses.
We are not helping them, we are slowly killing them!
I am afraid to see what is going to unfold when all of the young adults of the Siksika Nation get their $20,000 payout each . . . there is no doubt drugs will take some of them while destroying families! I pray I am wrong!
Did you actually read my first reply, or were you already reloading at the end of my first paragraph?
Moving them along is to say that taking down homeless camps is equivalent to the notion of NIMBY. It does nothing to address the reasons why there is homelessness in the first place.
BTW, did you bother to read the links included in my first reply? If not, would you care to say why you elected not to do so? If you did look at the links, how do you respond to the actual information posted?
I did read your comment. I elected not to read the links due to many of the links you provided over the years were not worth reading.
I know from my own experiences on the streets of downtown and from a considerable amount of research over the last 6 years on the issues.
People are dying and too many mistakes have already been made that have cost too many lives. I personally dealt with 9 of those lives that I am aware of and there probably were more!
The biggest cause of homelessness is from the addictions and often those addictions are caused by previous experiences such as ACES or PTSD, but sometimes it is from becoming injured and being given an opioid, getting cut off when healed but deciding to go to the streets for the drug, which becomes the priority.
The causes of homelessness are complex.
But what we know is homelessness almost always results from a combination of systemic issues and personal circumstances.
SYSTEMIC ISSUESSystemic issues contribute to a person’s experience of homelessness.
These include:
PovertyPoverty arises from economic and social inequalities based on factors outside of a person’s control, like low wages, discrimination, and a lack of work.
While poverty does not always result in homelessness, homelessness is always a result of poverty.
Economic ChangesA declining economy can make it harder to find and keep a job, putting people at risk of homelessness. But did you know a strong economy can also contribute to homelessness?
During the mid-2000s economic boom, Calgary saw an uptick in the number of people coming to the city for work. This drove up the demand for housing, making rentals too expensive for many people to afford.
Affordable Housing PoliciesAny change in social policies that reduces affordable housing and supports can make it more difficult for people to maintain their housing.
In Canada, national investment in housing has fallen by 46% over the past 25 years, according to a 2014 report by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
Calgary also has less affordable housing per capita than other cities. To reach the same amount of affordable housing stock in other cities, Calgary would have to build over 22,000 units by 2025.
Lack of CoordinationIn Calgary, government ministries and a network of agencies known as Calgary’s Homeless-Serving System of Care help people experiencing homelessness.
However, a lack of coordination between these groups can mean that people fall through the cracks.
That’s why we work as the Community-Based Organization, coordinating everyone’s efforts so people experiencing homelessness receive the help they need efficiently and effectively.
ColonialismIndigenous peoples are over-represented in the homeless population.
On any given night, 41% of people experiencing homelessness in Calgary have Indigenous ancestry.
Canada’s colonial policies and practices, including residential schools and the mass removal of thousands of Indigenous children from their families in The 60s Scoop, have contributed to inter-generational trauma and a loss of connection to community and culture—all of which place Indigenous people at increased risk of experiencing homelessness.
PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCESAn individual’s personal circumstances may also contribute to homelessness. These include:
While personal circumstances might contribute to a person’s experience of homelessness, the truth is that homelessness is ultimately correlated with systemic issues like poverty.
TraumaA strong correlation exists between trauma and homelessness. According to Our Living Legacy report, long-term users of shelters in Calgary suffered childhood trauma at a rate five times higher than the general population. This included neglect, domestic violence, abuse and parents with addictions.
Chronic Health IssuesMental health and physical health challenges may contribute to a person experiencing homelessness. Addictions are also a contributing factor, though they may arise as a result of the stress and insecurity that individuals experience when they do not have a home.
Domestic ViolenceDomestic violence puts people at risk of homelessness.
A woman is killed every six days in Canada by her intimate partner. The reality is worse for Indigenous women, who are six times more likely to be killed than their non-Indigenous counterparts.
You can learn more about how domestic violence shapes women’s experiences of homelessness here.
Sexual OrientationYouth who identify as LGBTQ2S+ are over-represented among the homeless population as a result of discrimination from family and friends, as well as systemic cissexism and heterosexism.
https://www.calgaryhomeless.com/discover-learn/learn-about-homelessness/homelessness-in-calgary/causes/
WHAT IS HOMELESSNESS?http://raisingtheroof.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BHF-Info-CAN.pngHomelessness, simply defined, is the absence of a place to live.
Approximately 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness each year. The number of homeless people, and the length of time they spend homeless, continues to rise.
Homelessness is not a choice. In reality, anyone can become homeless. Although the root cause is poverty, underlying issues include:
WHO EXPERIENCES HOMELESSNESS?http://raisingtheroof.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/BHF-Info-Housing.pngCanada’s homeless population is incredibly diverse. The individuals we see on the streets represent less than 20% of the homeless population. As many as 50,000 people make up the “hidden” homeless – individuals who temporarily stay with family or friends because they have nowhere else to go.
Families with children are the fastest growing homeless demographic. That number is only expected to grow, as over 10% of Canadian families currently live below the low income cut-off—unable to meet even the most basic needs.
Canada is also witnessing a staggering rise in homeless youth. In the past 25 years, there has been a 450% increase in the number of youth shelter beds in Toronto. Many of these young people are fleeing dangerous situations, with 61% of homeless youth reporting being either physically or sexually abused by an adult at some point in their lives. Studies show that youth who stay on the street for two years or more are less likely to leave—making an intervention within the first two years key to solving the problem.
https://raisingtheroof.org/what-is-homelessness/
Please make sure that when citing Vancouver as some form of “example”, one must remember that the Homeless population in the G.V.R.D. has a majority of folks who are from outside BC.
At last check, close to 44% (Or higher) of the Homeless population in Vancouver was composed of people from other provinces and territories.
Lethbridge would have to go through a bit of Climate Change before Homelessness became anything resembling the G.V.R.D.’s challenges.
Hmmmm…maybe BC should be checking those percentages more closely and asking for equalisation based on the percentages province-by-province?
PS. Nice scapegoating piece Barry. You should maybe step back and look at root causes.
Like the inaction of your Provincial Government, NIMBY’s, etc. When it comes to the plain fact that caring for these folks is as much your responsibility as anyone’s.
Last time I looked (Eg.) Victory Church had a building the size of a city block (for instance).
Maybe instead of dedicating a Congregation’s funds to a gigantic, “See my Faith” ego display, spend that money on doing something truly…good. like building and maintaining housing for folks who have been either cast aside by, or are casualties of our messed up quest for more.
That’s only one example of the strange “standards” that get ignored in such discussions.
The stats on the greater Vancouver regional district are close to those of the Vancouver DTES, which you are aware is a very small part that district.
I use Vancouver DTES because I have been in the alleys of East Hastings and seen the devastation and I have done considerable research on it.
And . . . it is the best example of what happens when governments make wrong decisions. Decisions that cost this city mutliple business losses downtown . . . people’s livelihoods . . . tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, etc. but the most important . . . hundreds of lives lost!
I am not sure where the Victory Church part of the comment is going . . . I am not a member and do not know what is going on there.
What I do know is that I have seen people from that Church on the streets providing food and clothing to the homeless as well as other churches.
Lastly, people are dying because governments are making bad decisions! Too many people!!! I know the root causes of a large percentage in this city, but those percentages vary, city to city!
There are many just getting shipped around by organizations that say they are helping them! How? Send them to another city away from family and friends or other familiar surroundings is helping? Many send them to get rid of them . . . is that humane?
The more housing you supply, the more people will come because when there are great services provide, word travels fast and people come! It is perpetual . . . you build more housing, more people come!
My final comment to all the others:
Sorry, but I stand by my letter! I didn’t write to get likes! I wrote it, because we can do better and every mistake we make costs lives!
In a country as great as ours, where there are so many jobs waiting to be filled, there should not be such a high homeless population in this city. Maybe Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, but not Lethbridge.
Many will never hit ‘rock bottom’ because they have everything they need to continue in their addictions. We think we are helping, but we are not! We are slowly killing them!
This city has been hit hard and most are tired of having their parks taken over, vehicles broke into and/or damaged, being harassed or intimidated when walking from their office to their car in the back, having their property stolen, etc. They are angry, but I am the one who will speak out.
It is time for lawmakers to do their jobs and for actions to be taken to get these people back in the workforce so they can have homes and a better life, instead of dying on the streets!
Not much point since many just want to argue instead of doing something about . . . just like a politician!
And . . . do you think that the residents of BC and of Vancouver are the only ones footing the complete $360 million per year being spent on the Vancouver DTES? The feds . . . our taxpayers dollars . . . are also paying into their complete failure out there! Thousands have died in BC because of bad decisions!
Barry your last paragraph seems to be describing Heaven! No rent or mortgage-payments, food and drink served nightly to your wagon, free full course meals every day! Free booze! Where can I sign-up?
Many are missing the fact that, at least in a percentage of cases, homeless people in Lethbridge are homeless by their own personal choice. We offer to help them, and they decline. Nothing the we can do to change this, despite the millions we throw at it.