Homeless advocate welcomes new Regina shelter but says underlying issues remain

With Regina City Council’s approval of a new permanent emergency shelter, one advocate isn’t throwing a massive celebration party.

Alysia Johnson, an advocate with Rally Around Homelessness, thinks this is a step in the right direction but more work needs to be done.

“It’s hard to celebrate a net zero,” she said. “We’re not gaining space, but I guess the celebration comes in that we’re not losing space either. We have to be careful on calling it a win, because the reality is that the community is still really suffering.”

The net-zero gain comes from the city’s lease with the Nest Health Centre shelter expiring next summer.

Johnson was a volunteer with Camp Hope, a tent community in Regina’s Heritage neighbourhood. This was nearly three years ago.

She said it’s hard to imagine a permanent shelter when other issues like addiction and mental health haven’t been addressed.

“We’re still here coming up on three years now since the SIS program was implemented,” Johnson said. “It doesn’t seem like there’s been any real change in that policy perspective.”

From a data perspective, Johnson said the amount of evictions could make a case for opening up a new shelter every year. But she knows this isn’t sustainable.

A major positive from the approved shelter is the conversation it’s started.

“I think it’s fair to say that it’s really kind of woken the neighborhood up,” she said. “People are paying attention.”

In the meantime, nothing changes for Johnson and the group of volunteers with Rally Around Homelessness.

It just launched its Operation Fresh Start, which is a community laundry program.

“It’s business as usual for our small but but mighty volunteer group.” she said. “We don’t have any staff, but we we’ve got a lot of heart.”

She hopes groups like hers and community members can continue to work together to help others.

“As much as we say ‘Rally Around Homelessness,’ I think we also need to rally around heritage,” she said.

“This is an important community. If there’s any silver lining in all of this …we use this opportunity to unite rather than think about what divides us. We have a real opportunity here to come together, as we always have in heritage and really do the right thing and take care of each other.”

She hopes for more long term change rather than band-aid solutions.

— with files from 980 CJME’s Daniel Reech

Read more

• Roads, snow removal beat affordable housing in Regina city budget survey
• Hundreds walk in Regina to honour victims, survivors of residential schools