Encampments: Practical, Compassionate Ideas

Everyone I speak to in District 7 is concerned about our fellow citizens who are living in tents.  The majority are kind, compassionate and distressed that in our wealthy country, many people have no permanent, safe home.  Many young people are seriously worried they are one renoviction or rent hike away from being homeless. 

There is no simple solution, but we must face the problem with clear eyes, open hearts and practical, realistic approaches. If we look deeper into root causes of the problems and also focus on immediate practical improvements, we could move in a good direction. 

Individualism and self interest, are the North American view of the world and thus can seem “normal” to those of us who grew up here. But the reason we survive and thrive as a human species is because we are social beings who care for each other – particularly the most vulnerable among us. Solidarity recognizes that we are all in this together – there is no us and them, only we. What if we embraced solidarity and the good of the community ahead of self-interest? 

Some relevant facts that underlie the number of unhoused people in our city.

•  The complete lack of affordable housing is the root cause of  homelessness
• The 2022 Point in Time Survey found that there were 586 people without a safe permanent address:
  • 27% former youth in care
  • 22% self-identified as Indigenous
  • 15% 2SLGBQTIA+
  • 15% seniors
  • 15% of African Nova Scotian, Black, Caribbean, or African ancestry

• No-one earning less than $41,000 annually can afford an apartment anywhere in HRM; to live on the peninsula an income of $65,000 is needed.[1]   

• Twenty percent of renters in Nova Scotia are in “core housing need” meaning that they “live in an unsuitable, inadequate or unaffordable dwelling and cannot afford alternative housing in their community”²

• Social (public) housing was funded and built by the federal government in collaboration with the provinces until the 1990s. In Nova Scotia “the last significant public housing project was completed in 1995”[2]

• When  affordable housing is scarce or non-existent almost anyone could become homeless. Financial difficulties and abusive or dysfunctional  family relationshprecipitatin causes of homelessness are financial and abusive or dysfunctional family relationships both in HRM[3] and in Canada[4].

• Contrary to the belief that mental health and addictions cause homelessness, people who are unhoused often develop addictions and mental health challenges because they have no safe place to live. Health issues are cited as a cause of losing housing by 27% in HRM³ and 16% in Canada⁴
• People living in tents are vulnerable to random acts of violence and are more likely to be the victims than to commit crimes. Also because encampments may attract criminal elements, encampment neighbours may become victims of crime.
•  Library workers, currently on strike for a living wage, provide compassionate practical navigation of health and social resources, respond to overdoses, and generally care for people who are unhoused.

Solutions that work

We have made progress and there is more to be done

The Overlook at the former Travelodge in Dartmouth is one example of a reasonable, evidence-based approach that supports more than 60 previously unhoused people.

The Bridge Integrated Services has provided both housing and health care to people of all genders since May 2023 resulting in reduced emergency department visits, fewer long term hospital stays and people moving on to permanent housing. (185 people were provided shelter and health care as of March 2024)

 YWCA supportive housing provides a safe space “for  women and gender-diverse people to achieve economic security, escape violence and build capacity”

Despite these effective initiatives there are still approximately 350 people who require housing with supports.

Since land is a major portion of the cost of housing the recent federal announcement of low-cost leasing of federal land for affordable housing will be helpful if some of that land is allocated to non-profits (such as the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia) to build and manage supportive housing projects. Equally the HRM could sell surplus land at minimal cost to non-profit organizations with the same goal.

Until more supportive housing is built and staffed, encampments may continue to be a reality. I would welcome ideas for other solutions.  As I read, learn and speak to knowledgeable, thoughtful people,  I think we could:

• Improve coordination among the many (at least 19) different organizations that currently provide support to unhoused people.
• Provide a high level of support and clear expectations to those living in encampments, with a point person for each encampment who would make sure that rules were followed, that people have the resources they need and be the go-between for neighbours who have concerns
• Hire more staff and limit the size of encampments; ensure that there are enough toilets, water and that garbage disposal, including needles can be properly and promptly managed
• Provide more safe injection sites and options for needle disposal.

Ultimately, I don't believe it is the location of the encampments that is the major issue. Wherever encampments exist they need to be supported and managed so they are safe and clean.  As of this writing the encampment on University Avenue is relatively organized, tidy and clean.

One thing I learned from my 40 years as a family doctor is never to give up hope. I have seen many people in dire situations heal and turn their lives around with the right support. I would encourage everyone who would like to understand homelessness better to read “From the Ashes”, Jesse Thistle’s first-hand account of a decade of living on and off the streets of Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, drug addicted and engaged in petty crime.  His story of how he recovered, found a partner and a home is heart wrenching and heartwarming. He is now a professor at York University. 

If you are interested here is a quiz that tests assumptions about homelessness https://action.caeh.ca/cando

As Sheri Lecker, Executive Director of Adsum for Women and Children wrote in her letter to the editor [5] “We all have biases because we've been socialized in this way, but it is on us to challenge them. To stigmatize, dehumanize and criminalize the members of our community who are made among the most vulnerable and most marginalized is a failure of humanity.”

Those living in encampments are our relatives, our fellow human beings. If we think in solidarity, of our community as a whole, we can create a way forward where everyone can have a safe, healthy place to live.

Maps of Affordability from the CBC “Where can you afford to rent?”

[1]  CBC Where can you afford to rent? https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/features/2024/rentals-affordability-crisis/  accessed August 26 2024

[2] Alex Cooke Global News: Nova Scotia hasn’t built public housing in 30 years. Why that was a ‘huge mistake’ https://globalnews.ca/news/9784037/ns-public-housing-stagnant-supply/

[3] 2022 Point in Time Survey HRM: 50% cited financial and 39% cited interpersonal/family reasons for losing housing  https://www.ahans.ca/_files/ugd/282dfd_af2d09ace4bb4aeaa6119fe17d0f9d1c.pdf accessed September 1 2024

[4]  Stats Canada Report on Causes of Homelessnes https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/5170-homelessness-how-does-it-happen

[5] Saltwire Voice of the People  August 13, 2024 https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/opinion/voice-of-the-people-challenge-biases-toward-most-marginalized-in-society-100986178/ accessed August 27 2024