Airdrie City Council awaits crucial homelessness study results

Airdrie City Council will learn the results of the previously commissioned homelessness study this fall.

On Monday, council was presented with an overview of what the study will look like and how it will be administered. City documents show that the survey will begin this month, with data reporting analysis to follow in April.

By July, a final report will be written. The final step, determining a path to tackle homelessness in the study, which will be based on the survey, will be determined this winter.

Emma Wallace, with The Rural Development Network, who is the lead consultant on the Airdrie Homelessness Estimation Study presented to council on Monday, explaining that the study will help fill a critical data gap. Wallace's presentation highlighted things such as how homelessness is defined, key categories of homelessness, trends in homelessness in Alberta, as well as why it is important to address homelessness.

"Based on the 2022 National Point in Time Count, there were 6,649 Albertans experiencing homelessness across the seven major cities. In Calgary, [those considered as] unsheltered homelessness were 28.6 per cent, while sheltered homelessness was 71.4 per cent."

According to Wallace, unsheltered homelessness is an, 'absolute homelessness; living on the streets or in places not intended for human habitation.'

"According to Calgary's most recent homelessness study in 2022, the top five reasons residents are experiencing homelessness are low income, a lack of affordable housing, conflict with a spouse or partner, conflict with a landlord and or substance use," Wallace said. "The reason I'm highlighting Calgary data is that there is almost no homelessness data outside of the seven major cities in Alberta." 

She added that for communities like Airdrie, which are outside the seven major cities and who are not part of that study, there isn't any current kind of homelessness data to rely on.

"As a result, communities like Airdrie have to refer back to the closest major urban center to them geographically, to understand potential trends in homelessness; and for Airdrie that is Calgary."

Key demographics within the Calgary homeless population include:

• 10 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness are youth.
• 30 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness are Indigenous.
• 15 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness identify as racialized.
• 1 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness are 2SLGBTQIA+.
• 23 per cent of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness did not access emergency shelter.
• 42 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness have been hospitalized in the past 12 months
• 52 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness have interacted with police in the form of tickets, searches, and arrests.

Wallace underlined that the need to address homelessness, especially in Airdrie, factors down into several key categories.

"On an individual level, [it's] really important to recognize that people experiencing homelessness, see increased risk of poor health outcomes, poor mental health outcomes, increased experiences of violence, a loss of social supports, becoming isolated from family, friends, and a loss of dignity," she said.

But she also said that from the community standpoint, homelessness impacts more than just an individual.

"It's also important to address homelessness to decrease the risk of encampments popping up, decrease the number of interactions [that] folks are having with public services, including hospitals, first responders, RCMP, and then most importantly, [the want] to decrease the risk of Airdrie residents from experiencing homelessness altogether."

Wallace said that to complete the study, her organization will be partnering with local agencies within Airdrie to administer a survey to their clients and with community members over 45 days. 

"The survey will be available in person as a paper survey or online," she explained.

However, councillors voiced concerns over how a person who is homeless may not have access to the internet or a phone to complete the survey.

"We use what's called a service-based population estimation approach. It means that we're partnering with local service agencies to distribute the survey," Wallace added. "It allows us to speak with and get surveys collected from their clients. Folks who we know are likely experiencing homelessness, and who are accessing services on any given day; might be hopping into a library, [or] be heading to a Victim Support Center. This could be any kind of service in the community. That is where we'll reach the majority of folks experiencing homelessness."

She also added that through cooperation with different social organizations in Airdrie, The Rural Development Network will also be able to pinpoint what are called 'known locations' where homeless individuals stay around the city.

"We'll pick a time in [the] day and we'll go to them and invite them to fill out a survey with us. We'll provide support on how people can fill out the survey, so there are no barriers."

However, Councillor Jones underlined that the statistics presented to the council were not new to him; he said he was more interested in a solution to the problem.

"I'm not seeing a game plan and I never seem to see a game plan," he said.

Wallace said that while she concurs that some data may already be familiar, quantifying the problem is essential.

"When we look at things like funding applications or partner applications for addressing homelessness, whether it be for, accessing funding for building housing, or anything else; funders require up-to-date or recent data, specific to that community," she said. 

Both the Airdrie Public Library and Genesis Place will have paper copies available of the survey. 

On Monday afternoon, the City also announced that due to frigid temperatures, the Airdrie Public Library would be open as an overnight warming space from 8:30 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5.

As per the City's response to extreme cold, Airdrie Transit will also ensure that during this extreme cold weather event, 'all residents anywhere along their transit routes remain safe and be provided transportation options to access various programs and services or other warm, safe environments.'

Environment and Climate Change Canada ended its extreme cold warning earlier on Monday. However, local forecasts are predicting that with the wind chill, the temperature may drop to -37 degrees on Monday evening. 

Currently, Airdrie does not have a 24-hour emergency shelter. 

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