Homeless Tent Cities in Canada

[Ron in Regina]

Do you see homeless refugees camped out in Regina or ever heard of it? I havent. How about in Winnipeg? Edmonton? Prince George? The Pas? Lethbridge? Salmon Arm? Yellowknife?

Are we full?

Not homeless “refugees”…..so why are they on the sidewalks in Toronto?

It’s convenient? Got an international airport there? No more STC? The Refugees choice of location? Better climate? Better potential job market?

No homeless “refugees”…..but homeless….

Tent city outside Regina City Hall continues to grow

The City of Regina said Tuesday the encampment at City Hall has grown over the past week. In a media release, ...

www.cjme.com

Regina police say woman at City Hall encampment died after suspected overdose

Early Wednesday, the Regina Police Service (RPS) responded to a report about a suspected drug overdose at the ...

www.cjme.com

‘Whatever we’re doing isn’t working:’ Masters addresses addiction issues in Regina

Three overdose deaths in a 24-hour span -- including one at the encampment in front of City Hall -- had Regina...

www.cjme.com

Ten years ago you (well, me anyway) didn’t see this shit, with tents and lean-to’s made out of tarps with people living in them popping up like mushrooms.

There’s alway been homelessness, but nothing on this scale, or prevalence, and this is crazy. People breaking into garages looking for somewhere to live, and then robbing everybody around them to support themselves and their habits. The houses, if empty for more than 30 days, needing to be boarded up or they have homeless people living in them without utilities while selling the copper piping for scrap for drugs.

Forty years ago one guy living under the bridge on Albert Street, or in the pedestrian crossing under Albert Street at Wascana Park was newsworthy….but now 100 people living in front of City Hall is barely newsworthy….& that’s one of the several encampments…with another one within a few hundred feet of the new improved local Regina police station.

Regina isn’t Vancouver with Vancouvers weather, nor is it Seattle or Portland, etc…so what’s different in the last ten years? What changed to create this growing issue? What combination of factors has made life much harder in the last handful of years?

Regina is a Canadian Prairie City of about 250,000 people with what can be described at best as a harsh climate. Why this here? I know it’s everywhere…but why?…& what can be done about it?

 

[Serryah]

No homeless “refugees”…..but homeless….

Tent city outside Regina City Hall continues to grow

The City of Regina said Tuesday the encampment at City Hall has grown over the past week. In a media release, ...

www.cjme.com

Regina police say woman at City Hall encampment died after suspected overdose

Early Wednesday, the Regina Police Service (RPS) responded to a report about a suspected drug overdose at the ...

www.cjme.com

‘Whatever we’re doing isn’t working:’ Masters addresses addiction issues in Regina

Three overdose deaths in a 24-hour span -- including one at the encampment in front of City Hall -- had Regina...

www.cjme.com

Ten years ago you (well, me anyway) didn’t see this shit, with tents and lean-to’s made out of tarps with people living in them popping up like mushrooms.

There’s alway been homelessness, but nothing on this scale, or prevalence, and this is crazy. People breaking into garages looking for somewhere to live, and then robbing everybody around them to support themselves and their habits. The houses, if empty for more than 30 days, needing to be boarded up or they have homeless people living in them without utilities while selling the copper piping for scrap for drugs.

Forty years ago one guy living under the bridge on Albert Street, or in the pedestrian crossing under Albert Street at Wascana Park was newsworthy….but now 100 people living in front of City Hall is barely newsworthy….& that’s one of the several encampments…with another one within a few hundred feet of the new improved local Regina police station.
View attachment 18774
Regina isn’t Vancouver with Vancouvers weather, nor is it Seattle or Portland, etc…so what’s different in the last ten years? What changed to create this growing issue? What combination of factors has made life much harder in the last handful of years?
View attachment 18775
Regina is a Canadian Prairie City of about 250,000 people with what can be described at best as a harsh climate. Why this here? I know it’s everywhere…but why?…& what can be done about it?

Why? Costs of living - and that varies depending on what you mean by living - and stories around here tend to be "Because landlords increased the rent/kicked me out".

There's lots of reasons, I think, and addictions is only part of it. But I also don't see it being fixed until something happens federally to stomp on this BS of high prices for places to live, whether it's rent or housing.

 

[Ron in Regina]

….There's lots of reasons, I think, and addictions is only part of it. But I also don't see it being fixed until something happens federally to stomp on this BS of high prices for places to live, whether it's rent or housing.

I think addictions is a big part of it, not the only, but very significant. The costs of everything also have skyrocketed, and I think much of it does originate at a Federal level.

 

[petros]

I think addictions is a big part of it, not the only, but very significant. The costs of everything also have skyrocketed, and I think much of it does originate at a Federal level.

Go to the city hall camp with a carton of cigarettes. 95% of them smoke. $20 × 30 = homeless. $40 in meth × 30 = homeless. $60 in hydromorphone x 30 = homeless.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Go to the city hall camp with a carton of cigarettes. 95% of them smoke. $20 × 30 = homeless. $40 in meth × 30 = homeless. $60 in hydromorphone x 30 = homeless.

And camp instead of shelter to continue the addiction as shelters don’t allow the drugs…

 

[petros]

And camp instead of shelter to continue the addiction as shelters don’t allow the drugs…

Or smoking, or being drunk or being high. They dont want the liability of someone waking up dead.

 

[Dixie Cup]

No homeless “refugees”…..but homeless….

Tent city outside Regina City Hall continues to grow

The City of Regina said Tuesday the encampment at City Hall has grown over the past week. In a media release, ...

www.cjme.com

Regina police say woman at City Hall encampment died after suspected overdose

Early Wednesday, the Regina Police Service (RPS) responded to a report about a suspected drug overdose at the ...

www.cjme.com

‘Whatever we’re doing isn’t working:’ Masters addresses addiction issues in Regina

Three overdose deaths in a 24-hour span -- including one at the encampment in front of City Hall -- had Regina...

www.cjme.com

Ten years ago you (well, me anyway) didn’t see this shit, with tents and lean-to’s made out of tarps with people living in them popping up like mushrooms.

There’s alway been homelessness, but nothing on this scale, or prevalence, and this is crazy. People breaking into garages looking for somewhere to live, and then robbing everybody around them to support themselves and their habits. The houses, if empty for more than 30 days, needing to be boarded up or they have homeless people living in them without utilities while selling the copper piping for scrap for drugs.

Forty years ago one guy living under the bridge on Albert Street, or in the pedestrian crossing under Albert Street at Wascana Park was newsworthy….but now 100 people living in front of City Hall is barely newsworthy….& that’s one of the several encampments…with another one within a few hundred feet of the new improved local Regina police station.
View attachment 18774
Regina isn’t Vancouver with Vancouvers weather, nor is it Seattle or Portland, etc…so what’s different in the last ten years? What changed to create this growing issue? What combination of factors has made life much harder in the last handful of years?
View attachment 18775
Regina is a Canadian Prairie City of about 250,000 people with what can be described at best as a harsh climate. Why this here? I know it’s everywhere…but why?…& what can be done about it?

In Edmonton we also have homelessness so it's all across the country; some have more than others with weather likely playing a part of it. Most want to go to BC where the weather is not as harsh as on the prairies. But it continues to be an issue & has always been an issue for decades although not as severe as Ron from Regina has stated. It s a sad thing and we should be ashamed as we re a rich country (well we used to be anyway) & having millions of immigrants come to this country with no place to put them just exacerbates the issue.

 

[petros]

There are more than enough facilities currently siitting empty that have showers, laundry, cafeterias and even libraries to house 100 people.

High schools are instant shelters....

 

[Ron in Regina]

This woman makes $67K a year. She's couch-surfing until she can find affordable housing — CBC News

Teresa Chhina helps vulnerable people find affordable housing. Now, she's struggling to find something for herself.

apple.news

 

[petros]

This woman makes $67K a year. She's couch-surfing until she can find affordable housing — CBC News

Teresa Chhina helps vulnerable people find affordable housing. Now, she's struggling to find something for herself.

apple.news

Chhina says her monthly income comes to $5,644.07. But after taxes, car payments, debt consolidation fees, tax penalties and credit card bills, she has about $2,722 a month for rent and personal expenses.

A tax cheat and a delinquent debtor stuck repaying debt doesn't tug on my heartstrings.

She got herself in this mess.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Chhina says her monthly income comes to $5,644.07. But after taxes, car payments, debt consolidation fees, tax penalties and credit card bills, she has about $2,722 a month for rent and personal expenses.

A tax cheat and a delinquent debtor stuck repaying debt doesn't tug on my heartstrings.

She got herself in this mess.

Still paying, but still homeless. She may not tug on your heartstrings but it’s real.

 

[Serryah]

This woman makes $67K a year. She's couch-surfing until she can find affordable housing — CBC News

Teresa Chhina helps vulnerable people find affordable housing. Now, she's struggling to find something for herself.

apple.news

Yeah, it's this shit that pisses me off. She makes more than I do and still has problems finding a place. Thank goodness I got my house when I did. But then this is NB so there's no real comparison, even if the situation is very similar to people here.

How ’empty nester’ policy is forcing N.B. woman from her apartment of 18 years | Globalnews.ca

Kimberly Donald, impacted by NB Housing's 'empty nester' policy, has been searching for a suitable one-bedroom that comes under New Brunswick's rental price cap.

globalnews.ca

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/campbellton-evictions-rentals-housing-nb-1.6832131

And then in my home town, we've an asshole developer who wants to put up an apartment building, pushed to get it rezoned, and said in a public meeting that the building would happen regardless of objections. Nevermind concerns from people in that area about traffic or fire problems, or that it's in a flood zone, and other issues. Nope, he was building and screw what anyone wants.

Meanwhile his last apartment, across the street from this new proposal, costs beyond the means of the more vulnerable in town and is all focused to retirees and upper-middle class or students.

Affordable homes/apartments don't make money, after all.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Yeah, it's this shit that pisses me off. She makes more than I do and still has problems finding a place. Thank goodness I got my house when I did. But then this is NB so there's no real comparison, even if the situation is very similar to people here.

How ’empty nester’ policy is forcing N.B. woman from her apartment of 18 years | Globalnews.ca

Kimberly Donald, impacted by NB Housing's 'empty nester' policy, has been searching for a suitable one-bedroom that comes under New Brunswick's rental price cap.

globalnews.ca

According to a letter she received from the province, her new one-bedroom must come in at $925 including heat, or $825 with no utilities included.

(So to heat a 1 bedroom house or apartment out there only costs $100 on to heat on average??)

Vienneau said that number was determined using the median market rent table as determined by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation…current how long ago? I’m assuming it’s a few years old and before the interest rate went up 25 fold? Ugly…

Donald said it’s almost impossible to find a one-bedroom for that price, and the province will not pay for a bachelor unit.

“I found one and it was tiny and disgusting; there were roaches on the floor. It was just not good,” Donald said, saying most one-bedrooms listed cost at minimum $1,000 per month.

So they’re charging her extra for the roaches?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/campbellton-evictions-rentals-housing-nb-1.6832131

"I'm really sad about this situation. … Right now in Campbellton the rental availability is under one per cent and that means we don't have [many] apartments," said Levesque.

We were looking at the same numbers a few years ago in Regina, & then developers hammered up a whole bunch of shitty condos, so there were vacancies, but non-affordable vacancies for many….

And then in my home town, we've an asshole developer who wants to put up an apartment building, pushed to get it rezoned, and said in a public meeting that the building would happen regardless of objections. Nevermind concerns from people in that area about traffic or fire problems, or that it's in a flood zone, and other issues. Nope, he was building and screw what anyone wants.

Meanwhile his last apartment, across the street from this new proposal, costs beyond the means of the more vulnerable in town and is all focused to retirees and upper-middle class or students.

Affordable homes/apartments don't make money, after all.

At a local 1% rental vacancy rate, the rental will be what the market will bear, so whoever is supplementing the rental for these folks needs to reevaluate the dollar figure allotted….if the interest rates have increased 25 Fold over the last couple of years, unless the Landlord owns a property outright or is locked into a long term low mortgage rate….Costs have gone up for them too.

With the current government, throwing around money like drunken sailors, with the only way to rein in inflation being the central bank jacking up the interest rates repeatedly…this was bound to happen.

 

[petros]

Still paying, but still homeless. She may not tug on your heartstrings but it’s real.

Her 21 year old is crippled and can't pay rent? She could be make $35K a year at McD"s putting household income well over $100K.

 

[Serryah]

Stacey Gomez, landlord reach settlement over Halifax renoviction case | SaltWire

It’s not easy finding somewhere affordable to live in Halifax. Stacey Gomez found that out the hard way when she was forced to find a new place to call ...

www.saltwire.com

Renovictions are a thing, sadly.

 

[Dixie Cup]

This woman makes $67K a year. She's couch-surfing until she can find affordable housing — CBC News

Teresa Chhina helps vulnerable people find affordable housing. Now, she's struggling to find something for herself.

apple.news

She needs a budget for sure!! Obviously not very "financially astute"

 

[petros]

She needs a budget for sure!! Obviously not very "financially astute"

I read up on the apartment fire. Her situations is temporary. She can eventually go back to Sapperton after the apartment building is restored.

The emergency management coordinator and emergency social support staff were activated to assist with accommodations and support for multiple displaced residents, Williams said.


“At this time the building cannot be reoccupied until the fire and - systems have been restored,” he said Tuesday morning. “A fire investigation is underway and will be continuing throughout the day.”

Images posted on social media showed two units in Parkside Apartments engulfed in flames, with thick black smoke pouring out of one of the units.

“The fire was limited to two suites due to the quick response and aggressive fire attack of NW Fire Rescue crews,” Williams said. “Further assessments for smoke and water damage will determine the total number of suites involved and when residents can return to their homes.

New West fire displaces tenants, damages at least two suites

No injuries were reported after flames engulfed two suites in a Sapperton apartment building

www.newwestrecord.ca

 

[Ron in Regina]

Many cities in Canada are facing a housing and homeless crisis. Whether it be Vancouver, Calgary or Toronto, homeless tent encampments have become a depressingly common sight. For the most part, politicians seem either uninterested or unwilling to act unless forced to do so. After years of inaction, Vancouver’s tent city was only finally removed after a fed-up populous ejected the former mayor and council and swept Ken Sim and his ABC party to power with mandate to change something, anything, about the declining state of the city.

Adam Pankratz: Politicians cower as homeless camps take over Canadian cities — National Post

Arresting those who refuse shelter and mandatory counselling would be more humane than what is happening now

apple.news

When enacted, bold moves on homelessness and tent encampments are popular with the public, so why are cities so often paralyzed by fear of doing something about an obvious problem, thereby ceding our city squares and parks to tent encampments? Social media plays a large role in the sense politicians have of the public mood, but those same politicians would be wise to remember Twitter isn’t a real place and it’s time for a discussion free from fear about the serious problems afflicting Canadian cities.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I was always told that home was not the building but the spirit. So if you are living in a tent, is that not 'home'? Even if the home is a building, a tent is a building. Therefore, are you then no longer homeless? You may be landless but not homeless.

 

[Ron in Regina]

One of the biggest parts of the mess that has led to mass homelessness is Canada’s undeniable housing crisis. With immigration targets set to rise to half a million by 2025 the situation will get worse unless we get building. In Vancouver there have been encouraging signs by Ken Sim and his council, but they are fighting against a system and a legacy of total inaction on the file.

Another is drug addiction. The enlightened in our society have deemed that to expect anything from a drug addict, homeless person or anyone in need of societal aid is a secret way of retraumatizing them. As a result, Canada only adopts halfway otherwise good ideas, which ends up making the situation worse.