Looming end of Expo Centre shelter operation raises questions about options for homeless

Efforts to house Edmonton's homeless population are taking on new urgency as plans begin to wind down the Expo Centre day shelter, says a leader in city efforts to end homelessness.

"While we may feel right now that everything is very quickly getting back to pre-pandemic ways, distancing is still expected and required," Susan McGee, executive director of Homeward Trust, said Tuesday on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM.

McGee said the Expo Centre, which opened at the end of March in response to the COVID-19 crisis and has been seeing about 700 people daily, will look at winding down operations at the site in six to eight weeks.

In addition to providing food and shelter, housing workers have been operating out of the centre trying to connecthomeless individuals with permanent housing.

"We've actually been increasing those efforts of late," she said. "That has been really a priority because housing isultimately the only way that we can individually isolate, if we need to.

"In the absence of [Expo], I would be quite concerned about where people would be going during the day. We are concerned about increases in encampments and street homelessness."

City council on Monday agreed to move forward with measures to create more bridge housing spaces, using the vacant jockey quarters at the Northlands exhibition grounds, as well building more than 200 units of permanent, supportive housing units.

McGee said the 36-room jockey dormitory has bunk beds, allowing for occupants to be doubled up if required, a commercial kitchen and office space. People generally stay in bridge housing for one to three months, while details are worked out for them to move into permanent housing.

The city has a goal of ending chronic homelessness in Edmonton by increasing the supply of permanent supportive housing by 900 units in the next four years. The total capital costs of the projects considered by council on Monday is estimated at $53.4 million.

The homeless count done in August 2019 found more than 1,600 people in Edmontonwereconsidered homeless, from sleeping rough to staying in transitional housing.

The steps taken by city council are particularly important given indications that the number of homeless people in Edmonton is beginning to increase, McGee said.

"We certainly are concerned that we're seeing more inflow into homelessness," she said. "So while we've seen those numbers go down over recent years, we're quite concerned that we're going to, as a community, experience an increase. And we need to be as organized as possible."

Council still needs to make a final decision on the proposed three-year lease of the dormitory, which should happen before the end of June. After that, Homeward Trust will proceed with a $600,000 renovation project and begin looking for a site operator.