People experiencing homelessness in Thunder Bay, Ont., say designated encampments could help
CBC
Gary Hooper says this is the first time he's been homeless and it hasn't been easy.
Living in a tent since moving to Thunder Bay, Ont., two months ago, he considers himself lucky, having warm blankets at night and services he can access during the day. But there are challenges, like not being able to store fresh food and worrying about people stealing his belongings.
"Everybody's been camping," he said. "They wanna sleep in the tents. Me, I have no choice right now."
Hooper has been in recovery from addiction for nine months. He has been volunteering at People Advocating for Change Through Empowerment (PACE), a drop-in centre on the city's south side, and loves to cook — on Thursday, he made bannock and soup for lunch.
Hooper is just one of a growing number of people experiencing homelessness in the northwestern Ontario city.
Last summer, the number of people known to be sleeping outside nearly tripled compared to the previous year. City council is considering the feasibility of supported or designated encampments, and has directed staff to report back in June about potential sites and costs.
Hooper prefers to keep to himself, but said supported encampments with washrooms, supplies and security patrols are a good idea.
On Friday, Ontario Housing Minister Paul Calandra announced more than $9 million for 52 new transitional housing units in the city. Service providers say they're hopeful about the much-needed spaces, but concerns remain about how many people will still be in the encampments this summer.
Longtime friends Shawn Pratt of Thunder Bay and Virginia Rose MacLaurin of Fort William First Nation say they aren't sure where they'd go if PACE — where they can get coffee, use the computer and watch TV — wasn't open.
MacLaurin has been homeless since her house burned down more than three years ago.
Pratt was homeless for a year before going to jail, and when he was released six months ago, he had nowhere to stay.
"I've been constantly looking for a place since then and they ask you, 'Have you ever been in trouble?' and you tell them the truth and then they just shun you away," Pratt said.
Pratt, who has been in recovery from addiction for nearly three years, is currently staying at an overnight shelter but doesn't sleep well. His phone was stolen, which meant he lost the numbers of people he was contacting about housing.
"I'll most likely be in tent city this year again."
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