Edmonton councillors fed up with province's lack of housing support
Edmonton may be getting ready to take matters into its own hands when it comes to helping homeless people.
Council's community and public services committee wants to see a detailed plan to expedite bridge housing — a short-term shelter for people waiting to get into permanent supportive housing.
Wednesday, the committee asked the city's department of housing and homelessness to report back in March with cost estimates.
The move was made with a fair bit of frustration on the part of Coun. Michael Walters, who pointed the finger at the Alberta government for not providing funding in its recent budget.
"We do not have a champion on this issue in the legislature," Walters said Wednesday. "We've been asking and asking and asking the province to do what is ultimately their job — I'm proposing that we do an analysis on what it would cost us to do it ourselves."
Walters is taking issue with Kaycee Madu, Alberta's minister of municipal affairs, over his stance on city spending.
Madu reportedly made comments at a chamber of commerce meeting Tuesday, cautioning Edmonton city council ahead of budget talks next week.
"I think it's time he stops lecturing us and starts listening to our community and starts helping us solve this problem," Walters said. "And he needs to sit down with us and he needs to work it out with us."
Walters said Edmonton's lone government MLA doesn't seem to care about Edmonton city council, "who I suspect he sees largely as just a bunch of urban pinkos who just spent money wastefully."
After years of struggling with homelessness issues in Ward 6, Coun. Scott McKeen thinks the city needs to find its own solutions.
"I think Edmonton has to realize if we're going to solve our homelessness issue, we can't count on the Kenney government," McKeen said.
McKeen noted homelessness costs millions of dollars a year in calls to fire service and police calls. The city also says it cost $1.8 million to clean up encampments this year.
"We're going to have to do this ourselves and in doing that we will help support our small business zones, help communities that have been haunted by the side effects of homelessness for decades."
The city's department of housing and homelessness has several options for different kinds of housing.
40-75 beds in lower barrier shelters, which could include workforce trailers or sprung tents, estimated to cost $1.1 to $2.5 million in capital
32-50 units of bridge housing in existing, modular buildings or workforce trailers estimated to cost $1.6 to $6.1 million in capital investment
15-50 units of Expedited Permanent Supportive Housing, includes existing, modular building or tiny homes, estimated to $2 to $8 million in capital funding
The above projects would also require millions in operating costs.
The city has identified four sites for permanent supportive housing but is not disclosing the locations until the funding is in place.
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