By Charlene Tebbutt

Latest count looks at homeless in Prince Albert

May 9, 2018 | 5:00 PM

Homelessness continues to be an issue in Prince Albert, though some of the factors that lead to it appear to be changing, according to the latest homelessness count in the city.  

The most recent point-in-time count took place in Prince Albert April 18, looking at the number of people living on the streets along with those using local shelters. The count was part of a national, federally-funded project, and similar counts also took place in Saskatoon and Regina last month.

In Prince Albert, preliminary results showed 47 people were using shelter services in the city on April 18 while another 30 were unsheltered, or staying on the street.

Dr. Chad Nilson, with the Living Skies Centre for Social Inquiry, coordinated the count in Prince Albert. He said some of the factors that lead to homelessness seem to have changed.

The count revealed more young people on the streets, he said, and higher numbers of people with dependencies on IV drugs.

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“What we have seen change are the types of problems facing individuals who are homeless,” Nilson told paNOW. “Where the risk factors in the past were usually focused on alcohol addiction and older individuals in their 40s, we’re now seeing a shift toward certain opioid addictions and a younger age.”

Nilson said the numbers will also help determine how social factors, such as poverty, HIV and violence, can affect the rate of homelessness. More details will be released about the count in the coming weeks, he said.

“We start to get a better understanding of what leads to homeless in Prince Albert by counts like this,” Nilson added.

Last month’s count was organized as part of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, a national community-based program that works to prevent and reduce homelessness. Brian Howell, a manager with River Bank Development Corporation, which oversaw the project, said the numbers show a decline in those using shelters but cautioned that weather may have played a role.

Howell said more work will be done to look at the demographics behind the numbers before the committee moves on to look at the levels of “hidden homeless” in Prince Albert, the group which includes those who couch surf or move from home to home in search of a place to stay.

“It’s just a snapshot of one night,” Howell said of the April count, but noted 77 was still a high number.

“It tells me that homelessness is still a significant issue in our community; 77 people is a lot, and especially the street count being a little bit higher, is a cause of concern as well,” he said.

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt