Yellowknife puts out contract for street outreach van

In -40 windchills Anita Akulukjuk stands outside Yellowknife's Safe Harbour Day Centre.

"It's so cold," she says, dressed in only a hooded sweatshirt, a light winter jacket and jeans. Hardly the gear needed for Akulukjuk's nightly trek on footback to the women's shelter several blocks away.

"We don't always have a ride...We have to endure that," she said.

The City of Yellowknife is looking for a qualifiedorganization to design and run street outreach services that provides safe rides to people who are homeless or intoxicated downtown, 12 hours a day, every day.

"It's [for] people in Yellowknife who are marginalized or may not have somewhere to go, to bring them somewhere safe," said Yellowknife's director of community services, Grant White.

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The recommendation comes from the city's community advisory board on homelessness. It follows a growing number of calling RCMP and ambulance services to help people who are homeless or intoxicated in the city.

A highly skilled team with a background in social work will drive the streets in a gently used, well marked van. Two workers on each shift will offer rides to people in need, along with blankets, first-aid and hygiene supplies.

"The model is tried, (tested) and true," said White.

The city is looking to a model in Thunder Bay, Ont., and others across the country for inspiration when defining the scope of the work, said White.

Several street patrol groups over the years

Lydia Bardak, an advocate for the homeless and people with disabilities in Yellowknife, said she is happy this is moving forward.

"Over the years I've taken many taxi rides to the women's centre just to help ladies get there," she said.

Bardak has been part of several volunteer street patrol groups in the city over the years.

"I know Iand others have advocated for a long time [for this]...To say, yes these individuals need some attention, some care."

Jennifer Bonnetplume worries people without easy access to phones will still be left in potentially unsafe situations.

"I've been into a lot of business and they say no, you can't use the phone. They reject us." she said.

The city says promoting the new service to businesses, other service providers and all community members is key for success.

The contract offers a maximum of $300,000, a mix of federal and city funding, to design and run the 15-month contract. The deadline to apply was Jan. 13.

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