'People do not need to be in tents in winter,' says P.E.I. housing minister
CBC
The P.E.I. government will find suitable shelter, with a fixed roof, for anyone who calls its shelter support line, says P.E.I. Housing Minister Rob Lantz.
Lantz was responding to news that The Village, a housing advocacy group in Summerside, is looking for a property to create a tent encampment for homeless people in the city. The group has already purchased 26 ice-fishing tents.
The province is not collaborating or coordinating with The Village in any way, said Lantz.
"I know they have very good intentions," he said.
"We know that tent encampments are not ideal. We've seen a lot of fire and safety concerns with tent encampments all around the country."
P.E.I. shelter support line: 1-833-220-4722
The province will both provide the shelter and pay transportation costs to the shelter. That may require transportation outside of the caller's home community. The province's shelter support line is operated 24/7.
There was an incident over the weekend where a man looking for shelter was told that he would have to find his way to the shelter on his own. The Village says it ended up providing the required transportation.
Lantz said he was aware of the incident and said it was the result of a miscommunication. The province will pay for transportation, and there has been no change in policy, he said.
"Anybody that calls the shelter support line will be put in suitable housing," said Lantz.
"I can't stress that enough. People do not need to be in tents in the winter."
The province's plans for a 10-bed emergency shelter in Summerside are on track for April, said Lantz. An operator for the shelter will be chosen in the next three weeks.
The city does not currently have a low-barrier emergency shelter. There are two shelters: LifeHouse, a shelter and transitional housing for women and children, and Reaching Home, a shelter for off-reserve Indigenous people.
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