ATHABASCA – The wheels are turning when it comes to the Athabasca Cares Community Housing Society’s goal of having some kind of homeless shelter in place by the time the next snow flies.
Athabasca Cares president Krystal Zahara was at Athabasca town council May 17, to speak on behalf of the group, with a proposal for a temporary emergency shelter they hope to put on town-owned property south of the Athabasca Reformed Congregation and just west of Highway 2, off the service road that runs parallel to the highway.
Phase 1 of the shelter project includes securing the land from the town, securing a camp-style trailer, and fundraising, or convincing a power company to run electricity to the site, she said. The request that evening was for the town to lease the property for a nominal fee so ACCHS can start planning for the winter.
Council agreed to do that, but only once the other factors — the structure itself, and the power — are secured, as there was no point in leasing the land if there is nowhere for people to go.
“We definitely understand that a temporary overnight shelter is not the solution to end homelessness in Athabasca, we get that, but we have to start somewhere and right now we don't have anything,” Zahara told council. “So, this is this is the first step in getting a shelter in place so that we can start collecting data and start having some tangible numbers to provide to the government so that we can show the government at a provincial level that we are dealing with a rural homelessness issue.”
Zahara said the 20-by-16-foot structure they are hoping to have hauled to the site, once approved, could perhaps hold 40, if necessary, but going off of statistics from the mat program operated by the Athabasca Native Friendship Centre two winters ago, she said they likely wouldn’t need space for more than eight at a time.
That’s not to say there are not many more unhoused people in the area, she said, noting about 44 have been counted because they draw some kind of government resources, though she could name 20 off the top off her head that didn’t and so have not been counted as part of the population.
Tentatively, the shelter would operate from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. every day from October to April.
Coun. Edie Yuill expressed some reservations about the hours, saying she would be uncomfortable asking someone to leave a shelter on a morning that drops below –30C.
“It's so true,” Zahara said, adding it’s not outside the realm of possibility, but it comes down to funding. “A temporary emergency shelter is a band-aid solution. We would love to have the money to have something operational 24 hours a day.
Coun. Jon LeMessurier asked Zahara to describe her vision as far as security and dealing with mental health issues that may arise. She replied there is room for two positions within the budget they have drafted and training in how to deal with such crises would be required along with Narcan training for overdoses. She also noted local RCMP have been supportive and would patrol the area as needed.
“Our objective right now is preservation of life,” Zahara said. “Our organization would love to have connections in our community where we could be working with other agencies — Child and Family Services and FCSS — working together and collaborating with them, but for the time being, we're feeling a little bit desperate to get something in place, so people don't die this winter.”
Mayor Rob Balay said he has spoken with MLA Glenn van Dijken on the matter and is working to help ACCHS get the groundwork in place to be able to apply for government funding.
“We have to present the case, right? So, depending on what that is, this is the first step forward in doing that. And then the whole idea in my mind is to build on that to show the need and then once the need has been proven, then go to the next step and ask for funding.” he said.
LeMessurier wanted details on how the area is currently being used, and whether this is actually the best spot for the shelter, noting the nearby residences may have something to say about the proposal.
“We have exhausted our efforts with business owners in this town trying to get support and trying to get people to rent places out to us, like literally have exhausted like for months have exhausted our efforts. Nobody wants to have homeless people staying in their business,” Zahara said.
Later in the meeting before council voted on the request, Coun. Ida Edwards asked about the power, and water and what other costs the town may incur. Balay said running in the power would have to come via donation or fundraising; there won’t be any water provided, but portable facilities would be brought in. The town may be on the hook for some additional snow plowing though.
Coun. Sara Graling also inquired as to the need for a development permit and whether it’s an acceptable use under the current land use bylaw, or if it might need to be rezoned.
“Probably not, so there might have to be some exceptions made,” CAO Rachel Ramey said.
Mayor Balay commented that rezoning would also initiate a period of time where the public would be able to speak for or against the development.
