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Downtown Crime

Greenspace said:
^Shelter spaces funded went from 600 last winter to 1642 as of early February this year. So much much better and have to give the province credit. Most are also supposed to be operating 24/7, which day shelter space has also been a problem in the past. Which is also how the City has justified dismantling high-risk encampments.

The shelters often have spaces empty. This is due to a number of factors including people wanting to sleep outdoors, addictions or mental health issues, not being able to bring your stuff, or not being able to be with a partner (religious-based shelters).

^^Glossing over the report from Calgary, it seems similar in many approaches and actions to our Downtown Vibrancy Strategy, however having a document like that which is city-wide and safety based is a good communication tool and holds the City accountable on that issue specifically.
Click to expand...
Are those additional 1,042 spaces permanent?
 
The numbers do tell quite the story. Under funding in YEG has been an issue since the Klien years. And then you take away support services like addiction and mental health you just create the perfect storm.

I am still blown away by the numbers of new horseless people.I volunteer serving dinners at an inner city facility outside of the DD core, away from most of the other shelters. Every time I'm there we have a few new people come in. Young and looking shell shocked. Not drug users just had something happen that put them on the street. You want to do something for them but recourses are just not there.
 
I could be wrong, but I seem to recall the additional spaces are not permanent. Of course, homelessness is not just a seasonal problem that magically ends when the weather warms up.

If they are temporary, it just means the hordes wandering the streets will just return in a few months. Of course, the sudden increase in available spaces will take time to fill as people have become habituated to staying elsewhere for a long time (outside, tents, etc...), in part due to the lack of other options in the past.
 
Talking with a friend that works with the inner city. They are getting reports that the Suburbs are reporting an increase in camps. I saw evidence out nar Lois Hole Park the other day.
 
The city should just buy bus tickets for as many homeless as possible to other cities….ie, YYC and YVR…..that’d be the quickest and easiest…..half of them wouldn’t even know their getting on a bus. If a 3rd party bus company is not available….then charted a fleet of buses ….make them someone else’s problem…..just saying.
 
I always what the medical definition of this is called……

IMG_1817.png

The crackhead shuffle…..
 
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