City unveils new plan to tackle homelessness
Report recommends sobering centre, managed alcohol program
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The path to end homelessness includes a sobering centre, alcohol management program and more space at emergency shelters, according to the city's new homelessness strategy.
Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Caroline Cochrane, left, Yellowknife Mayor Mark Heyck and Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernethy spoke at the release of the city's homelessness report on Friday at city hall. - Kirsten Fenn/NNSL photo
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"This is a really happy day I think for our community," Mayor Mark Heyck said during a press conference for the report's release at city hall on Friday.
He presented the Yellowknife Homelessness Road Map Action Plan along with minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Caroline Cochrane and Minister of Health and Social Services Glen Abernethy.
Eleven recommendations are broken down under three areas of priority in the report: improved co-ordination, new or enhanced services and long-term planning and strategic framework development.
The strategy advises the city should invest in emergency shelters to create more bed space, at a cost of $600,000 within the next six months.
The federal government provided the GNWT with $600,000 for the project, which is being administered by the NWT Housing Corporation to create semi-independent living spaces at the Yellowknife Women's Society and the Salvation Army, according to the report.
The money would be used to create semi-independent living spaces at the Yellowknife Women's Society and the Salvation Army, according to the report. Cochrane said it is also important the GNWT create shelters and resources outside of Yellowknife, otherwise people will flock to the city, putting an even greater strain on tackling homelessness.
A street outreach program where paid staff would drive around the city to help intoxicated people - a Saferide program - could also be implemented, as well as a sobering centre or detox facility.
Staff working for the Saferide program would be trained to direct clients to the proper support services.
"It's more than just a shuttle service. It's really about building relationships," Heyck said.
The idea is also to relieve pressure on emergency workers, RCMP, jails and reduce hospital visits.
"We usually receive about 3,500 or so ambulance calls per year, and this year we expect that number to reach 5,000," Heyck added.
A harm reduction pilot program for managing alcohol, which would provide clients with a rationed amount of alcohol throughout the day, is also among the report's long-term recommendations.
Heyck said this type of program has been shown to reduce binge drinking and interactions with police.
"It's an evidence-based solution that's worked to great effects in many other communities," Heyck said.
The report did not include where funding for all items in the report would come from, such as the Saferide program, sobering centre or alcohol management program. But Abernethy said the government is already in the process of securing a space for a sobering facility.
More legwork would need to be done for some of the items in the report before determining what needs to be budgeted for, he said.
Other items recommended in the report included an inter-agency committee to help frontline agencies collaborate better, continued support for the Housing First approach to homelessness, extending overnight shelter hours and developing a 10-year plan to address homelessness.
The homelessness road map was created by a working group formed from a forum held in April between Cochrane, local NGOs, RCMP and government representatives to address gaps in solving homelessness in Yellowknife.
