Getting vulnerable people housed a community effort, says P.E.I. housing minister
CBC
A recent trip to Calgary has inspired P.E.I.'s housing minister to think differently about getting vulnerable populations out of homelessness.
Rob Lantz, P.E.I.'s housing, land and communities minister, was in the Alberta city visiting five separate agencies that offer services to vulnerable people, including the country's largest emergency shelter.
He saw a collaborative approach between different service providers in Calgary — one he hopes P.E.I. can strive for, he said
"They share information, they meet on a regular basis, they refer clients between each other," Lantz told host Mitch Cormier on Island Morning.
"No one agency can be everything to serve this type of population and that's the direction I see us moving."
In late July, the provincial government applied to Charlottetown's city council to extend its permit to operate the emergency shelter and outreach centre on Park Street beyond spring 2024.
Lantz wouldn't say how long the province would like to keep those services on Park Street, but said his long-term vision is that services be spread more evenly around the city.
He said since moving the shelter and outreach centre to Park Street from Euston Street, there have been fewer issues with the surrounding community.
Lantz's trip to Calgary was the latest in a series of visits to see how other parts of the country are trying to help people experiencing homelessness, including Ottawa, Halifax, and New Brunswick.
"It's going to take a lot of learning, a lot of evolution of the services we provide here," Lantz said.
"It's relatively new to us. So we're starting from scratch in many cases."
One of the agencies Lantz visited was the Calgary Drop-in Centre, which offers the largest emergency shelter in Canada with just over 1,000 beds.
The centre's focus is getting clients into permanent housing, said CEO Sandra Clarkson.
"A real key to that is relationship and compassion," said Clarkson, in an interview with Island Morning host Laura Chapin.
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