As we transition towards at COVID endgame (please go away soon, Omicron!) one consistent story is the impact that COVID’s economic pressures are having on homelessness responses. These responses usually focus on homelessness in larger cities.
Pressure on these resources has been increased by the economic casualties of COVID — those low and no income citizens who have been unable to cope with the financial upheavals of the pandemic. City-based emergency homeless support services, such as shelters, are being stressed by rising numbers, particularly as COVID-oriented projects are winding down (perhaps prematurely). Funding is evaporating for temporary ‘everybody in’ pandemic housing solutions such as under-utilized motel and hotel rooms.
However, homelessness is not only a city problem. Villages and towns are also having to deal with increases in homelessness. The overall numbers are smaller, but it can be difficult to engage funders’ attention outside larger centres.
Here’s an article describing some of the efforts and frustrations in two smaller communities in the province of Alberta — and the services they are offering to ensure the survival of their homeless neighbours. Read more at the CBC: Here are some of the ways rural Alberta is tackling homelessness
