Brian Howell, Special to the Herald
Council met on Monday night to consider a report prepared by City Administration on the construction of a new Homeless Shelter. The Provincial Government has agreed to fund a Shelter with the YWCA as operator and the City of Prince Albert responsible for finding and approving a location. The report was based on four meetings held throughout the City in January and February and an on-line survey that residents could complete.
While the meetings were sometimes controversial when location was discussed, there was general agreement that a Shelter was necessary for our community. The meetings were well attended, with some being moved because of lack of space and a variety of opinions being expressed. This was supported by an on-line survey, developed by the City, which was completed by five hundred residents and found that 70 percent approved of a shelter and a majority felt that it should be close to services which are mostly located downtown.
At Monday’s meeting the response from a significant number of councillors was what one expects from those who hear results they do not like. The consultation process, which was established under their guidance, was questioned, because apparently some in attendance were too shy to speak. The survey results were deemed to be unreliable and were disparaged because they did not have a comments section, and perhaps some were unable to access a computer. Their solution was to delay delay and delay – schedule another meeting, consult more, and perhaps create another survey.
I was surprised to find that councillors had a multitude of questions that they needed answers to. I had seen them all in attendance at the consultation meetings, where people working on shelter development were present to answer questions, and they had not asked them. Would you not expect councillors who have served several terms to already be familiar with this issue which has been brought to council many times. Would you not expect new councillors to take the time to become familiar with this issue before assuming office, rather than forcing the community to re-start the education process after every election.
It is far past the time for the City of Prince Albert to reach a decision. This issue was presented to Council two years ago. The current shelter is in decay and is not fit for human habitation. The Province of Saskatchewan faces many issues and will not hold this funding forever. There has already been more discussion of this issue than there was for the development of the Yards, with $46 million of debt, or for the allowing the development of 10 liquor stores, more than twice the number per capita than Regina.
Much concern is expressed about the over representation of Indigenous people among the homeless. Al Ducharme, Executive Director of Prince Albert Grand Council said it best at the last consultation meeting. He talked about the contribution that First Nations make to our community, and about economic activity and job creation through projects like the Casino, gas stations, partnerships at northern mines and other investments.
He spoke of educational opportunities through First Nations University and SIIT producing teachers, social workers, tradespeople and business professionals for our economy, and the generous contributions Northern Lights Community Development Corporation, makes when they share Casino profits. The hundreds of people that come here from northern communities to shop at our grocery stores, furniture stores, lumber yards and car dealerships, some of which, are ardent opponents of Shelters.
He also talked about the struggles of many Indigenous people because of the trauma of the past and present. The litany is long, residential schools, foster care, sixties scoop, racism and the serious impact of drugs and alcohol.
Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte spoke about the changes in the northern economy where traditional industries like trapping, commercial fishing, mineral exploration and forestry have suffered serious declines leaving people unable to make a living in their communities. The Chiefs of northern communities talk about housing ratios of 10 people or more per house. People are coming here out of desperation, unable to find housing and forced to live on the street. Prince Albert is also generating its own homelessness. Shelter client interviews show that most users are people who have been here for some time and have gone from being housed to homelessness while living here.
It seems passing strange to me that in a City replete with Land Acknowledgements at every gathering and where orange shirts blossom like cheerful flowers in September, that we are so willing to allow our neighbours who have roots in this land going back 20,000 years to suffer the indignities of weather and the possibility of death by freezing because we don’t want them in our City. For some, the spirit of reconciliation is as thin as the fabric of an orange t-shirt.
Brian Howell is a low-income housing expert who spent 23 years as the general manager of the River Bank Development Corporation.
