ATHABASCA – The Athabasca Cares Community Housing Society is working toward having at least a temporary shelter solution for Athabasca’s unhoused population before next winter.
Society treasurer Lisa Allen was at the March 1 Athabasca town council meeting to give officials an overview of some of the work that’s been done, what they hope to accomplish in 2022, and to urge council to get as involved as possible, starting with identifying a property that could be used for whatever solution is undertaken.
“Our vision is that all members of our community have safe and affordable housing, so it's very simple,” she said. “Our mission: We exist to initiate and perpetuate functional zero homelessness as an achievable and integral part of our community.”
Allen said the society aims to cover the entire Athabasca region, including Calling Lake, and to provide client-focused services, as there are many faces to homelessness, and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. To accomplish that, the group is gathering on-the-ground research and communicating with other communities about options they’ve considered to reach the same goal. She said ACCHS would also like to see a number of shelters in different communities throughout the area that could coordinate their services.
Some of the things they’re looking at range from the tiny houses and shelter pods that have recently been publicized. In Lac La Biche, where a number of tiny cabins have been set up, it seems to be working well, while the shelter pods set up in Edson had some initial issues getting off the ground, she said.
“When you're dealing with new solutions, sometimes problems appear that you're weren’t aware,” she said. “Our main goal is this emergency shelter and so we're really hoping to be able to fundraise, get grants, go and beg, whatever, we don't really care. We just want to see some emergency shelter for next winter.”
She added the community has been very supportive, providing $3,500 through a silent auction over the holidays that not only raised money, but a lot of awareness.
ACCHS is also taking an approach that will not demand clients be clean and sober to achieve shelter.
“Some communities have shelters where the clients must be not under the influence, but we feel that it's extremely difficult, especially for people who have active substance abuse issues and/or mental health issues to become dry while they're on the street.”
Funding to get any project off the ground has been difficult to come by, she said, noting a recent meeting with Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken did not go as well as hoped, saying she did not feel he was “overly supportive.”
“Urban homelessness and rural homelessness — they're two separate things,” Allen said. “Urban homelessness is getting funding, rural homelessness in Alberta is not getting any funding. So that's a real that's a real problem.”
Mayor Rob Balay noted he had also spoken with van Dijken and found there were likely funds available for rural homelessness projects but there needs to be community involvement that shows the amount of local support for an initiative. That could include letters from councils and service groups, or surveys and stats regarding the local situation.
“We have to have a plan in place, they’re not just going to come and give us money because we're going to do this or that. They want to see plan. So, maybe that's something that we can assist you,” said Balay.
Coun. Ida Edwards said she had information that should be discussed in a closed session, so a motion to that effect was approved.
Council accepted the delegation for information, but administration will set up a future meeting with the group to further discuss options.
