LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
For the last 10 years, Alan Bonnetrouge's couches have been the occasional resting place for some of Fort Simpson's homeless people.

Alan Bonnetrouge has opened his home in Fort Simpson to those who have no other place to go in the fall and winter, housing up to six people per night. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

Taking in five to six people at most per night in the fall and winter, Bonnetrouge and partner Victoria Gargan also pay out of pocket to prepare a hot meal when they have money.

"There's nowhere else to go," Bonnetrouge, 63, said in an interview with Deh Cho Drum about letting people stay overnight.

Gargan said that "absolutely" more needs to be done to address housing issues in the community.

With no halfway house and no shelter of any kind for short term or long-term homeless, their hospitality is one of the few options beyond friends and family for the estimated 30 or so homeless residents of the village.

Aaron McNab, the executive director of the Deh Cho Friendship Centre, said there have been discussions about starting a shelter.

However, the high cost of purchasing property and running it meant the idea was dropped.

"There's always something needed," McNab said when asked if the community needs a shelter.

The centre also operates a food bank for community members in need. Twice a month 15 or so people regularly use the service.

Homelessness is an issue that largely goes under the radar for most people in the community, said Mayor Sean Whelly.

"The homeless problem is here for sure. It's out of sight, out of mind, but it's there," he said.

Many of those considered homeless spend nights sleeping on the couches of family members and friends, Whelly said.

After months at a time, he said patience wears out and people are back on the street.

MLA speaks out

Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche, recently raised concerns about the lack of housing support in the Deh Cho in the legislative assembly in the hopes that the added attention will spur action.

Addressing questions to Robert C. McLeod, the minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Menicoche said the territorial government needs to do more to address housing issues in the village.

"I sure would like to see something done in the near future," said MLA Nahendeh Kevin Menicoche, who is Bonnetrouge's brother.

He cited an informal count by Gargan in the village that identified up to 30 single people who are homeless, some of whom are waiting for public housing.

The issue became more pressing last year when three public housing units were lost to a fire making the issue much more noticeable, he said.

He added that saying some people are waiting several years before moving into a home.

Forty-one on waiting list

Fort Simpson has 41 applicants for one bedroom public housing units and four applicants for a two bedroom unit according to Cara Bryant, spokeswoman for NWT Housing Corporation.

Although Menicoche said he knows of someone who has been waiting seven years for public housing, that could not be confirmed with the housing corporation.

Bryant wrote in an e-mail that there may be two or three applications from 2011, but the vast majority are from 2014, with some from 2013.

There are plans to increase the public housing stock in the village in the coming years. Money has been allocated in the capital budget to add more units.

In the 2014/2015 fiscal year, the Housing Corporation is planning to fund two replacement units, 19 major repair projects to NWTHC units and six new market units which are expected to be completed the following year. Next year's capital budget calls for two replacement units and 16 major repair projects.

Shelter needed

In an interview, Menicoche said he hopes the GNWT could identify a house in the village that could be turned into a shelter for six or so people to help alleviate the homelessness issue.

Meanwhile, Bonnetrouge said he'd like more support. He doesn't make much money and said the home he has lived in since 1986 is run down. The home has been without running water ever since the water line running from the street froze more than five years ago. Yet, those in need will still find a place to stay.

"He's always kept an open-door policy, no matter what time of the night. If it is cold out he welcomes people to come and sleep," Menicoche said.

When Bonnetrouge and Gargan take in someone who has been drinking, there's a simple request.

"If you want to stay here, stay quiet," he said.

"And don't steal," Gargan adds.