A homeless woman sets up camp outside a downtown provincial government building. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

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Editor’s note: Some of the pictures contained in this article may be viewed as offensive.

Concerns related to safety of staff, public defecation and the number of needles being found outside their doors on a daily basis were among the concerns raised during a community meeting last Friday night in Prince Albert.

Scentiments owner Stacy Coburn helped organize the meeting, which included attendance from over two dozen local businesses, as well as the majority of city council and Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross. Coburn told paNOW businesses are concerned by what appears to be a more visible homeless population.

“It’s growing and it’s a lot of new people coming into the community that were never here before. Something has to be addressed at the municipal level or provincial level,” she said, adding the goal of the meeting was for Ross to receive feedback.

“I think the bulk of frustration is coming from some of the programs that the province has cut that were helping in the past.”

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A collection of needles found behind a downtown business. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Acknowledging the city is not unique with its issues related to a transient, homeless population, and that many people are also choosing to live on the streets, Coburn said it appears the issues have just become more visible as a result of COVID and the government cutting or changing certain programs.

“There was representation [at the meeting] from a few of the different organizations down there as well and they were expressing their frustration that they don’t have the funds and the resources and the programming in place anymore that they used to,” Coburn said.

Coburn added she has made attempts to speak to the people sleeping outside her business and when she asked them why they don’t go to a shelter, they told her they could not go to a shelter if they are under the influence. As well, the homeless cannot bring personal belongings into the shelter so run the risk of having the few personal belongings they may have stolen.

“Coming winter I don’t know that’s gonna change because obviously it’s gonna be a lot colder sleeping on the street,” she said.

A small crawl space behind a downtown business shows signs of a recent tenant. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Stacie Treppel at Skin Junkies Tattoo, Body Piercing and Med Spa Services also attended Friday’s meeting and explained she is not as concerned with the regular, older homeless people who sit outside her business and come in occasionally for a cup of coffee.

“It’s been over the last two years, there has become a problem with the transient population and the drug addicts that are violent and mean and destructive and can be pretty scary sometimes,” she said.

Treppel recalled an incident that happened last week in front of city hall, where an elderly homeless man sitting on a bench, not bothering anybody was approached and attacked by a younger man.

“One of our staff members actually went out to stop it because this drugged-out kid is beating on an old man,” she said.

Treppel believes another factor contributing to the issues is the government’s remand program and the people being released from jail.

“There needs to be programming or something in place so when these people get released from the jails, they are not just walking out the door with nowhere to go and ending up down here,” she said.

One of the concerns raised at the meeting was with the public defecation occurring, and the fact the homeless have no other place to go. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

Mike Henry at Partner’s Furniture is also relaying serious concerns with respect to safety, explaining the walk-in traffic at his business has declined by over 70 per cent in the last four years.

“It didn’t happen overnight. It’s been a gradual decline based on safety issues down here,” he said.

One of the biggest issues on Henry’s mind is the public use of drugs, noting his staff picks up dozens of needles each week, and had as many as 18 one morning.

“There’s children who walk up and down Central Avenue with the daycares here and talk about an unsafe place to be walking,” he said.

In addition to questions about the city’s current needle exchange program, and how many needles are actually being returned, Henry said he would like to hear from the provincial government with respect to where they are at with their 10-year poverty reduction strategy announced in 2016.

“Like you had a plan in place. It’s not like this is something new,” he said.

Response from the MLA and what happens next

In an emailed statement to paNOW, Alana Ross said she was pleased to attend the meeting last week, and discuss the challenges facing the downtown business district.

“I was encouraged to see so many people participate in the discussion and the goodwill expressed in working together to make our downtown district a welcoming place for everyone,” she said.

Ross mentioned plans to take the information gathered, to the Ministers of Health, Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health, and Social Services.

Prince Albert Carlton MLA Joe Hargrave was also invited to attend Friday’s meeting but was unable to.

Coburn explained the meeting Friday represented a start to a conversation, adding their next meeting may just include the business owners so they can become more cohesive and possibly isolate two or three main issues.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell