Danger increases for homeless Edmontonians since Expo Centre closure, advocates say

Every morning, Cameron Noyes does his usual rounds making sure everyone in Old Strathcona's street community has survived another night.

On Tuesday, he kept watch as an intoxicated woman zigzagged across the street while a young womansnoozed on a patch of grass in the shade of ashopping cart stuffed with her belongings.

"After the weekend, there's always a lot of issues," Noyessaid. "We take account at the end of the weekend who's got the bruises, where did they get them, who's got the black eyes."

Accompanied by his border collie Boudica, Noyes checked in at the public washroom where a pair of friendly outreach workers from Boyle Street Community Services greeted people stopping for food, water, masksor achat.

Noyes, who lives in the neighbourhood, hasspent the past few years helping the community he calls family.

• Closure of Expo Centre shelter leaves hundreds looking elsewhere for critical services

When COVID-19forced agencies to reduce services, Noyes ramped up his one-man volunteer operation with daily supplies of food, water, sanitizerand clothing.

But last month'sclosure of amassive emergency shelter has increased the need and risk, saidNoyesand other frontline workers.

"Since they closed the Expo Centre, we've been flooded," Noyes said. "We're seeing lots and lots of faces we don't recognize. So even in the light of day recently we've seen three robberies around here and an attempted sexual assault on people we know.

"We've run out of food but a lot of community groups are stepping up."

In mid-June, the province decided to close the temporary shelter operating during the pandemic.

As it shut down on July 31 the province, City of Edmonton and agencies scrambled tofill the gap for 400 to 600 people who accessed Expo's drop-in services daily.

24/7 access for 170 people

On Wednesday, theprovince said two downtown agencies now offer round-the-clock services for170 peoplewith another 50 spots to come.

The government provided $60 million to social service agencies in March and more recently,another $48 million for organizationsincluding twoin Edmonton.

"Additional shelter facilities at the Mustard Seed and Hope Mission have transitioned to 24/7 access to ensure people have a place to sleep during the day, can access food, showers, laundry and connection to housing supports," wrote Michael Forian, press secretary to Community and Social Services Minister Rajan Sawhney, in an email.

• 'This is about prayer': Inside Edmonton's Camp Pekiwewin

Despite those supports, dozens of tents have sprungup at a makeshift camp in the heart of Rossdale offeringfood, health services and security to roughly 400 people each day.

Indigenous-led organizers of Camp Pekiwewin say the initiative is largely aresponse to abuse by law enforcement.

They're demanding anend to anti-camping bylaws and the reallocation of $39 million for policing into housing, transit and socialservices.

"Police in the city remain one of the biggest health threats to houseless people in the city," organizers tweeted on Aug. 10.

Noyesechoed those sentimentswhile expressingappreciation for the weekday, daytime beat officers in Old Strathcona.

But he's one of two advocateswho told CBCthey've witnessedsome law enforcement officers harassing street people and received reports of authorities slashing and trashing tents.

"Yes, it's not legal to camp in Mill Creek Ravine but they have no home," said Noyes, who called for a compassionate, informed response topeople with mental health challenges and addictions.

Noyes said he has lodged multiple complaints with police and reportedthe conduct of peace officers to 211, 311 and 911.

'I'm living under a tree'

Rob Durocher questioned whetherprovincial funding benefits all homeless Albertans.

"I'm living under a tree and this money is supposed to come to all of us, but it's not. So where is it going?," he asked."We have to beg for blankets. We've got to beg for everything socks, underwear I don't even have socks."

Staying at Hope Mission is not an option.

"You have to have I.D.," he said. "They give you conditions when you're homeless. You're supposed to have nothing but they give you conditions. And if you don't have those, you can'tutilize anything."

City spokesperson Geoff Grimble said the city is not aware of any incidents involving peace officersbut said complaints could be submitted online or through 311.

"The closure and clean-up of encampments is prioritized based on the level of risk posed to individuals in the encampment and the surrounding community," Grimble wrote in an email.

City and police officials notedemergency shelters throughout the city are not operating at capacity.

Police said they have no record of Noyes' calls, except fora complaint resolved in April. Noyessaid the complaint was not resolved. Police called him this week after CBC'sinquiry.

A spokesperson said EPS officersspeak topeople camping in the river valley to see if services can be offered before notifying peace officers.

"The EPS does not take down tents or encampments," spokesperson PatrycjaMokrzansaid in an email."Our officers do explain the process to the residents however."

Questions about Hope Mission

Coun. Scott McKeen said Pekiwewin shows that the way forward requires a collective effort offering security, proper health care and community.

But he expressed doubtthat could be found at Hope Mission.

Already, said McKeen, the facility isunderused because people don't feel safe, sleep poorly on mats, and can't store valuables or stay overnight with a partner or pet.

He also raisedconcern about"conservative Christian organizations dealing with a population that is largely Indigenous," giventhe trauma of residential schools.

"It'sgoing to be a real struggle if Hope Mission is the answer we offer them," McKeen said at a council meeting Thursday.

"We'regoing to have to ... put pressure on Hope to change the way they treat this vulnerable population."

• Edmonton mayor presses province to step up as EXPO shelter prepares to close

McKeen said the current system creates conflict with business owners and community residents "who then ask the police to come in, which creates further conflict."

"If we just gave these people a decent place to live with proper supports and meaning in their lives ... we would just be so much further ahead," McKeen said.

He said the city has moved ahead on five supportive housing projects and the province needs to step up.The plan calls for 600 units of supportive housing by 2022 and a further 300 units by 2024.

"So faras investing funds in supportive housing the most effective and financially efficient response to homelessness the silence from the Kenney government is deafening," McKeen said."Seemingly, the provincial government would rather fuel this dysfunctional cycle of shelters, outreach, soup kitchens and continuing social disorder, petty crime and calls for service to first responders."

• Alberta government tackles addiction with 400 treatment beds at five new 'recovery communities'

A spokesperson for Hope Mission said it offers a welcoming place for anyone who needs it.

"Hope Mission is open to everyone for shelter, food, laundry services, showers and medical support. Any vulnerable at-risk homeless person is welcome into Hope Mission," said Joel Nikkel, Hope Mission's director of development.

Funds for permanent housing, rapid rehousing

Forian said his government is focusedon supporting people and organizations that help move people off the street and into more permanent housing.

"In Edmonton alone, $28.7 million was provided to Homeward Trust Edmonton to fund organizations who lead this important work," Forian said.

"These funds focus on a variety of supports including permanent housing, intensive case management and rapid rehousing."

Despite Friday's scheduled closure of the isolation unit at the Expo Centre an alternative site has not been found, according to Sawnhey's Facebook page.