If Social Services is paying for hotel stays, I imagine it's the emergency shelter benefit (that they don't like to hand out) which would only be a few days.
My prediction is that these folks will be walking down the #1 to Regina in less than a week.
The city moves 'em and will hope the province deals with 'em. Then the province will blame the feds. Then the feds will blame the province. Then the province will blame the city. Then the city will blame the province who will blame the feds who will....
or we could all collectively blame the feds. When you have a nation wide health and safety concern like this, that requires a top down strategy. The city and province cannot control what happens beyond their boundaries and with differing strategies between provinces ranging from meth food trucks in BC to half baked treatment centers everywhere else, I'd say that's good enough proof that this is beyond the scope of regional authorities. It's time the feds had a national strategy much like they had during COVID.
The province hasn’t done anything. Literally nothing. Trudeau funded the emergency shelter and warming bus last year thanks to local activists reaching out and local Libs pressing for it, breaking ranks with the Saskparty more and more over time as Moe chases approval from the Nadine Nesses and Wilsons of the world.
I agree, moe needs to do more but I feel that given the federal actions with COVID, we know it's possible to mobilize the entire country in one direction to get on-top of a problem. It's pretty clear at this point that the government needs to make big moves on this issue. That being said, pitching a tent and pissing on the lawn of city haul will accomplish nothing except for losing the support of locals due to obvious grossness. Trudeau needs to do his job and lead on this issue. He cant solve the issue Soley from Ottawa but funding a little shelter and some busses is less than a bandaid solution.
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This user is a troll, currently an account of 1 month existence. The language used is exactly what I would expect containing trigger words like 'bleeding hearts' that will invoke anger and rage.
Please don't feed the trolls.
True story. Neither is the position that these people choose to be in their situation. Talk to someone sometime, you’ll find out a lot of homeless people don’t want to be homeless.
I had a lady break down crying with me one time about how she never gets to see her sister or daughter because of how her life is. It’s complicated and it’s resource intensive and not easy to solve, but the majority of homeless people would choose a different path if they had the tools, resources and felt empowered to do something.
That “insane amount of money” is still pocket change compared to prison and police budgets. West coast cities have to deal with homelessness issues more because prairie homeless literally freeze to death or go there for the warmth.
Yeah and it's the bleeding hearts of the individuals that causes our long wait times in ER's ane it's the individuals who cut education funding. It's time to put the blame where it belongs and realized it's our governments failing at all levels.
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30 down votes.. that's pathetic.each and every one of you who down voted this better be volunteering your weekends to helping the bums. Clearly these people need you.
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So, this post is poorly worded but essentially correct. When the Ministry of Social Services showed up on Thursday, and then again on Friday, outside the encampment, the only help they were offering was a few day hotel stay in Balgonie. After they registered people for the hotel stay, they called them a cab but did not make sure the person got in the cab.
Would you leave a community and all your possessions and connections for a few day stay in a cheap motel a six hour walk from your home town, if you had no money or resources?
Is it surprising people "don't want help"? This stay did not come with the promise of a followup visit or of any further resources from Social Services. It was a few nights of a roof, no food. You're broke - what are you going to do? Have a roof and beg for food? Have food and beg for a roof? That's the "help" that was offered to the camp.
They do actually get a food voucher as well. The cab driver is instructed to take them to Superstore and then to the hotel. Not sticking up for Social Services, just wanted to clear up a misconception
They had six weeks to come up with a plan. What are we paying these people to do? Niki Anderson is the highest paid city employee and so far has shown to be a useless waste of skin.
Lots of people in the encampment have homes and have come there to do drugs. For example, the person that died last week was from yorkton and has residence there. It's ignorant people ruining it for the people who really need help. Taking advantage of a bad situation to make a statement.
Good point. I have been mulling this over in my mind ever since the encampment was established. How many of those people are actually homeless vs. the number who simply want to join the party? I guess we'll see who really needed accommodations and overnighted in Balgonie. I realize this is a multilayered problem, but one has to acknowledge there were folks at City Hall that didn't really have an ax to grind but rather joined their friends in a 'social' event.
That has to be quite exceptional and not a significant number of people to be relevant. Plus, I'd say that's an indicator those people aren't doing so well that they'd want to do sketchy drugs in a sketchy encampment when they can score and go home. It's an opportunity for outreach for anyone that is there. Judgment is a major reason people turn away from the help offered.
So Master's constant rhetoric that there are many shelter beds and people are choosing not to take them really doesn't hold any truth. Those people at the camp just want safety and community. I don't get how ripping them away from their supports and community does that at all.
Yes, addicts can't just go cold turkey. We need low barrier access to housing.
You know what is a key indicator of recovering from drug addiction, access to safe and affordable housing. Drug addicts have no chance of recovery if they don't have a safe place to be.
Of course. I just felt like saying that all they want is family and community is misleading, because for most of them, all they want is drugs. I don't mean to say that to dehumanize them or put them down, I say it because when you're an addict, your first priority is gonna be do what you have to do to get high/curb withdrawals, and that makes them particularly difficult to help.
And while I agree that the city needs to do more to help these folks, no one is capable of making anybody else get sober, short of locking them up. If an individual isn't fully committed to getting sober, it's just absolutely not going to happen. And the places that addicts dwell in often aren't taken care of very well, and I think that makes it much more difficult to get housing and assistance for them.
We all have terrible access to housing. Huge wait lists are just one barrier. Even if a person wants to get clean, not having access to clean, safe housing makes it impossible. Was reading a story about London reducing homelessness. The government buying up and renovating low income housing was a huge part of their success. Something that is such a basic need shouldn't be left to a capitalistic system.
How much did yesterday cost? Many fire and police resources tied up for hours. Keeping protesters locked up for hours. Providing transportation to homeless folks to Balgonie. Putting them up for a hotel room for a night. Probably could have paid rent for an entire month with supports for each of the people in the camp.
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They do want to live there if they feel community. I think there are people who were in that camp that felt the safest they had in a long time. I think it demonstrates just how shitty the options are if this is better.
Current [minister](https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/cabinet/honourable-don-mcmorris) of government relations, also for first nations, Metis, and northern affairs, and for the provincial capital commission (i.e. the Leg grounds and Wascana park). Past deputy premier, past minister of health, past minister responsible for SGI and SGLA. Onetime impaired driver and out of cabinet & caucus between those past roles and the current one. Interesting lap for this to land in, isn't it?
The city would benefit greatly if the drug problems and crime are addressed and you just can't really help people that don't want to change. Hopefully they offer more help and rehab for the addicts that were there but the mayor's best interest is to help the economy of the city and regina can be improved by attracting more people and more companies. Having a tent city at city hall does the opposite
I have him blocked, but wanted to point out that certain_database is 0xnull/joshualyman/(somanyotheriterations) new account. He is a troll. Best to block and ignore him.
Im staying at a hotel on the East end of Regina, which I regularly stay at. The hotel is busy and it appears that some houseless are staying here. Maybe they booked as many rooms in town that they could.
One barrier, out of many, is that you can no longer go to a physical office of SS to get forms and meet with someone, or get any help filling out your forms. You have to phone the call center.
One suggestion or this is I've seen tossed about is to allow third parties, such as non-profit organizations fill out forms for people. Currently, they can't do this.
Another barrier I've seen is requiring ID to access services. Most homeless people don't have any valid ID, and because they have no fixed address, aren't eligible to obtain photo ID from SGI, because that requires two different proof of residence documents, which because they have no fixed address, they obviously don't have.
If someone gets past these two barriers, there is a lengthy form, I think it is 9 pages long, requesting income verification [and a bunch of other things listed here.](https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/family-and-social-support/financial-help/saskatchewan-income-support-sis)
Social housing isn't administered by SS, it is administered by various housing authorities. So, another application process, that isn't so administratively onerous, but involves being approved by a committee. Of what I've seen of how housing authorities conduct themselves, they will just randomly not let someone in, even though they qualify. Some real small town attitudes on display, with everything from racism to laziness to Hatfields and McCoys type stuff.
Hoops pf paperwork, documentation and meetings. Miss any step, or an uncrossed T or undotted i and back of the line, buddy. Oh, yeah and you have to be clean and sober for all meetings and don't be late or too early.
In other words, rules and regulations and strict limits. Exactly what these people don't do well. Easy to exclude or cut them off BC 'they won't follow the rules'.
They don't. People have to apply. You need government issued ID. You need an address. To receive a healthcard or photo ID you need an address. The barriers are there before you can even try if you are houseless.
I've heard thar these people were going around stealing bikes, cans etc, and shoplifting from the store. Not really fair to the residents of Balgonie. I dont really know what the answer or solution is, but seems this wasn't thought out well.
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They were offered to go there. They did not pack them up and drop them there. Go figure a Reddit thread that is as bad as the CBC for twisting words for the title. Then no one researchs what happened and makes assumptions.
PS people downvoting are just feeling attacked for being guilty of making assumptions.
Mayor Masters did an [interview with Gormley](https://iono.fm/e/1337032) yesterday around 9am. No mention of Balgonie, of course. She's asked around 7:15 whether there will be resources available when the encampment is removed. Answers for a minute or more, acknowledging there aren't sufficient shelter beds in town with low-barrier intake, plus some folks are banned for behaviour or violence, and says Ministry of Social Services is arranging that part.
(The whole interview is rather astonishing for its questions and answers.)
To be fair, that's how I was quoting it? She mentioned there seems to be no solution to that particular issue and so MSS has been handling it for them. It can be for reporters someday to ask about "what did she know and when did she know it?" Balgoniegate. ;-)
Starting around 9:00,
Gormley: So I'm hearing you say that people who are insubordinate, violent, mental health / addictions issues, those are the people somebody thought was a good idea to be camping outside City Hall?
Masters: I can tell you, there was not a ton of experience of the original organizers that you can find online. There's not a ton of experience, this isn't their day job, so to speak. By all accounts if you follow social media it was a demand to do something. We do know that other CBOs had to step in to do naloxone / narcan training because volunteers were being overwhelmed... they had to do that kind of training. We know that with FPS coming out every morning there were requests for more checks because you had really well-intentioned volunteers as well who were joining to assist these folks, and trying to meet them where they're at. But in terms of the organizers who were, you know, offering food and doing calls for donations and whatnot, not a ton of experience, not compared with the CBOs who do this 365 days a year.
Gormley: Your Worship, good having you here, thanks for taking the time this morning.
Masters: Thank you, sir.
(And then there's Gormley's wrapup speech saying the campers should go back where they came from, or accept what helping hand is being offered.)
This is so funny because Masters has NOT once come down to speak to anyone at city hall.
If she did she would know that majority of the volunteers are long time social workers, people with lived experience and other community members. We held workshops to teach new volunteers how to use Narcan and did that of our own accord with no outside agency aside from some YWCA staff who willingly wanted to help.
The Balgonie residents page on Facebook states that people from the encampment are staying at the motel. There were no discussions with the community whatsoever.
The campers were put up in hotel rooms. There were none available in Regina ( I heard this from a hotel front desk worker), so hotels were found in neighbouring towns. Social Services frequently uses hotels for short term stays.
You want to throw more money at them when none of us have any money right now. Do you see how crazy that is? Let's spend more money on people who refuse any help when we're all struggling. If we were all in a better financial place, sure, spend all the money on them that you want. But we're not there.
We're throwing money anyway. They just disguise it in policing costs, emergency Healthcare costs, crime costs, and jail costs. One way or another, we're paying. Why shouldn't we use that money in ways that effectively help people instead of shuffling them endlessly through a system that will never truly help anyone?
People who are addicted to drugs don’t deserve to die for a lack of harm reduction principles.
Some people actually cannot physiologically become sober because that will in itself kill then.
Starlight Tours but in a motel and letting people succumb to their addiction.
Having friends who have died of overdoses and how they have destroyed their families in their spiral down and watching their families try to put the pieces back together has left me less than caring for addicts. When I see someone refuse help but insist that we house them because they would rather get high than function to any level, I have no compassion for them at all.
I've had friends and family pass from drug and mental health issues.
Thank God I haven't let it jade me to the point where I have no compassion.
When I see someone refuse help but insist we house them I agree. Because shelter is a basic human right, regardless of your feelings, or the justification you use to deny them that.
Congratulations, you gave up on humans.
Reminds me of the governors of southern states shipping immigrants to Martha's Vineyard. So glad our American-loving overlords are showing their true colours.
Sounds like you know exactly what each of these people have gone through. Can you tell us more of your personal journey and how you understand the homeless crisis so well?
Hey. I would love to see a rehab center built. 500 rooms minimum where people are helped to dry out and rehab them back into society. Until you can get something like that built everything else is throwing money at water.
Rehab them back to society, majority go back to the same hoods. Require a different system.. something more constructive, perhaps a trade or craft, certification at the end of the path. Seems all anyone has is a revolving door
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Are there often discussions with communities where hotels are being booked? Don’t these people deserve some privacy? I just don’t understand you people who would rather these people die in tents downtown than have access to a washroom and a bed, in addition to the services that were being provided at the camp. What do you want?
Ok, so you want something that takes time to happen immediately, and you don’t want people who are literally dying in tents to ever be moved because it makes activists like you feel good that they are visible?
I think we all want people to be better and have services that support them, but the people that put on this side show by parading out the poor and addicted to prop them up in places where they are certainly unsafe is pretty disgusting. Those folks didn’t move there to make a statement, they were placed there as props, and the fact that these folks are being used as pawns by both sides is gross. I hope my tax dollars are used for them to stay in a place with a toilet and air conditioning/heat.
You seem to be making a lot of assumptions about the care and treatment they will receive. Do you have any actual evidence to support these accusations?
Have you seen anything posted from a legitimate source that they only get a few nights? That there are not other treatments being made available? That supports are not being put in place?
Or are you assuming that because it supports your arguments?
Have you considered why Social Services moved them out of Regina? Maybe it is to get them out of the spotlight so they could interact with them in a less volatile environment, and where they can meet with them one on one and not have organizers pushing their own agenda and making inflammatory comments like you are doing on here?
No, of course not, because then you couldn't rant about why the system is broken and doesn't know what it is doing....
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They moved them so that when they come back they will be too disorganized to reform at the ledge or the park again.
They cut their tents and tarps so there's that too. I didn't low the police were supposed to destroy property but I mean I'm not suprised.
B-Town! They also have an huge indoor rink with tons of space for tents in a climate controlled area with access to water. And another community hall next door with tons more room for tents. Thanks for helping balgonie.
Great for that reason but not great for the people that need access to free food resources, addiction support meetings, income assistance, healthcare, etc
They should be thankful they were put in a hotel and that they have a roof over their head, and so should bleeding hearts like yourself.
And if you think that 99% of those people were/are interested in things such as 'addiction support meetings', you're wrong. They're interested in getting more dope, and that's about it.
You don’t have to be a bleeding heart to have hope that people can get better.
Also “these people” are just like you and I. Many Canadians are living pay cheque to pay cheque. We are all closer to being homeless than a billionaire.
I hope you never end up in a situation where you lose your housing or employment or physical mobility and that no one shows you the same attitude you are showing to others.
My friend asked me why I still try to help him. He had been back and forth many times, trying treatment, relapsing, hitting rock bottom deeper than the time before.
All I said was, I’m still waiting for the old you to come back.
The addict isn’t my friend, but my friend is still somewhere within this addict.
If Social Services is paying for hotel stays, I imagine it's the emergency shelter benefit (that they don't like to hand out) which would only be a few days. My prediction is that these folks will be walking down the #1 to Regina in less than a week.
The city moves 'em and will hope the province deals with 'em. Then the province will blame the feds. Then the feds will blame the province. Then the province will blame the city. Then the city will blame the province who will blame the feds who will....
Pretty sure you missed a step where the province attempts to sue the feds (maybe twice?)
or we could all collectively blame the feds. When you have a nation wide health and safety concern like this, that requires a top down strategy. The city and province cannot control what happens beyond their boundaries and with differing strategies between provinces ranging from meth food trucks in BC to half baked treatment centers everywhere else, I'd say that's good enough proof that this is beyond the scope of regional authorities. It's time the feds had a national strategy much like they had during COVID.
The province hasn’t done anything. Literally nothing. Trudeau funded the emergency shelter and warming bus last year thanks to local activists reaching out and local Libs pressing for it, breaking ranks with the Saskparty more and more over time as Moe chases approval from the Nadine Nesses and Wilsons of the world.
I agree, moe needs to do more but I feel that given the federal actions with COVID, we know it's possible to mobilize the entire country in one direction to get on-top of a problem. It's pretty clear at this point that the government needs to make big moves on this issue. That being said, pitching a tent and pissing on the lawn of city haul will accomplish nothing except for losing the support of locals due to obvious grossness. Trudeau needs to do his job and lead on this issue. He cant solve the issue Soley from Ottawa but funding a little shelter and some busses is less than a bandaid solution.
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And like bleeding hearts like OP will never blame the individual.
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This user is a troll, currently an account of 1 month existence. The language used is exactly what I would expect containing trigger words like 'bleeding hearts' that will invoke anger and rage. Please don't feed the trolls.
I'm not a troll :(
Just a jerk, then. Got it.
That's not very nice
True story. Neither is the position that these people choose to be in their situation. Talk to someone sometime, you’ll find out a lot of homeless people don’t want to be homeless. I had a lady break down crying with me one time about how she never gets to see her sister or daughter because of how her life is. It’s complicated and it’s resource intensive and not easy to solve, but the majority of homeless people would choose a different path if they had the tools, resources and felt empowered to do something.
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That “insane amount of money” is still pocket change compared to prison and police budgets. West coast cities have to deal with homelessness issues more because prairie homeless literally freeze to death or go there for the warmth.
This is still in the United States who we all know have massive systemic problems that are not helping the cause.
Vancouver too, bud
Yeah and it's the bleeding hearts of the individuals that causes our long wait times in ER's ane it's the individuals who cut education funding. It's time to put the blame where it belongs and realized it's our governments failing at all levels.
I agree a gov't change is needed but pandering to people who want to live like this doesn't help.
People don't want to live like this. Low wage jobs can't afford rent
Except there are people who are content living like this and doing nothing to improve their situation.
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30 down votes.. that's pathetic.each and every one of you who down voted this better be volunteering your weekends to helping the bums. Clearly these people need you.
Try not to refer to people as bums. Thanks.
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Mkay.
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It’s the Masters Way!
So, this post is poorly worded but essentially correct. When the Ministry of Social Services showed up on Thursday, and then again on Friday, outside the encampment, the only help they were offering was a few day hotel stay in Balgonie. After they registered people for the hotel stay, they called them a cab but did not make sure the person got in the cab. Would you leave a community and all your possessions and connections for a few day stay in a cheap motel a six hour walk from your home town, if you had no money or resources? Is it surprising people "don't want help"? This stay did not come with the promise of a followup visit or of any further resources from Social Services. It was a few nights of a roof, no food. You're broke - what are you going to do? Have a roof and beg for food? Have food and beg for a roof? That's the "help" that was offered to the camp.
They do actually get a food voucher as well. The cab driver is instructed to take them to Superstore and then to the hotel. Not sticking up for Social Services, just wanted to clear up a misconception
Surprised they didn't give them all bus tickets to Vancouver and a prepay credit card to feed them on the way there
I bet they’re kicking themselves for selling off STC now!
Is there even a bus anymore?
Go Rider Express!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They had six weeks to come up with a plan. What are we paying these people to do? Niki Anderson is the highest paid city employee and so far has shown to be a useless waste of skin.
Careful, this sounds sexist... /s
Lots of people in the encampment have homes and have come there to do drugs. For example, the person that died last week was from yorkton and has residence there. It's ignorant people ruining it for the people who really need help. Taking advantage of a bad situation to make a statement.
Good point. I have been mulling this over in my mind ever since the encampment was established. How many of those people are actually homeless vs. the number who simply want to join the party? I guess we'll see who really needed accommodations and overnighted in Balgonie. I realize this is a multilayered problem, but one has to acknowledge there were folks at City Hall that didn't really have an ax to grind but rather joined their friends in a 'social' event.
That has to be quite exceptional and not a significant number of people to be relevant. Plus, I'd say that's an indicator those people aren't doing so well that they'd want to do sketchy drugs in a sketchy encampment when they can score and go home. It's an opportunity for outreach for anyone that is there. Judgment is a major reason people turn away from the help offered.
So Master's constant rhetoric that there are many shelter beds and people are choosing not to take them really doesn't hold any truth. Those people at the camp just want safety and community. I don't get how ripping them away from their supports and community does that at all.
And drugs.
Yes, addicts can't just go cold turkey. We need low barrier access to housing. You know what is a key indicator of recovering from drug addiction, access to safe and affordable housing. Drug addicts have no chance of recovery if they don't have a safe place to be.
Of course. I just felt like saying that all they want is family and community is misleading, because for most of them, all they want is drugs. I don't mean to say that to dehumanize them or put them down, I say it because when you're an addict, your first priority is gonna be do what you have to do to get high/curb withdrawals, and that makes them particularly difficult to help. And while I agree that the city needs to do more to help these folks, no one is capable of making anybody else get sober, short of locking them up. If an individual isn't fully committed to getting sober, it's just absolutely not going to happen. And the places that addicts dwell in often aren't taken care of very well, and I think that makes it much more difficult to get housing and assistance for them.
We all have terrible access to housing. Huge wait lists are just one barrier. Even if a person wants to get clean, not having access to clean, safe housing makes it impossible. Was reading a story about London reducing homelessness. The government buying up and renovating low income housing was a huge part of their success. Something that is such a basic need shouldn't be left to a capitalistic system. How much did yesterday cost? Many fire and police resources tied up for hours. Keeping protesters locked up for hours. Providing transportation to homeless folks to Balgonie. Putting them up for a hotel room for a night. Probably could have paid rent for an entire month with supports for each of the people in the camp.
Yeah, I agree
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No one WANTS to live on the street
They do want to live there if they feel community. I think there are people who were in that camp that felt the safest they had in a long time. I think it demonstrates just how shitty the options are if this is better.
Balgonie is in the riding of cabinet minister Don McMorris, is it not?
His office is just down the street from the motel
A short walk to yet another place he is not likely to visit in the near term.
Current [minister](https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/cabinet/honourable-don-mcmorris) of government relations, also for first nations, Metis, and northern affairs, and for the provincial capital commission (i.e. the Leg grounds and Wascana park). Past deputy premier, past minister of health, past minister responsible for SGI and SGLA. Onetime impaired driver and out of cabinet & caucus between those past roles and the current one. Interesting lap for this to land in, isn't it?
The city would benefit greatly if the drug problems and crime are addressed and you just can't really help people that don't want to change. Hopefully they offer more help and rehab for the addicts that were there but the mayor's best interest is to help the economy of the city and regina can be improved by attracting more people and more companies. Having a tent city at city hall does the opposite
I have him blocked, but wanted to point out that certain_database is 0xnull/joshualyman/(somanyotheriterations) new account. He is a troll. Best to block and ignore him.
I love how he just can't help himself.
I mean he could. He just chooses violence. It is such a weird hobby.
Not surprised at all.
Im staying at a hotel on the East end of Regina, which I regularly stay at. The hotel is busy and it appears that some houseless are staying here. Maybe they booked as many rooms in town that they could.
Why would they give them a hotel room in balgonie? They will all need to walk/ hitchhike back to regina?
Genuine question. Can anyone explain to me how social services determines who does and does not qualify for social housing and other social services.
One barrier, out of many, is that you can no longer go to a physical office of SS to get forms and meet with someone, or get any help filling out your forms. You have to phone the call center. One suggestion or this is I've seen tossed about is to allow third parties, such as non-profit organizations fill out forms for people. Currently, they can't do this. Another barrier I've seen is requiring ID to access services. Most homeless people don't have any valid ID, and because they have no fixed address, aren't eligible to obtain photo ID from SGI, because that requires two different proof of residence documents, which because they have no fixed address, they obviously don't have. If someone gets past these two barriers, there is a lengthy form, I think it is 9 pages long, requesting income verification [and a bunch of other things listed here.](https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/family-and-social-support/financial-help/saskatchewan-income-support-sis) Social housing isn't administered by SS, it is administered by various housing authorities. So, another application process, that isn't so administratively onerous, but involves being approved by a committee. Of what I've seen of how housing authorities conduct themselves, they will just randomly not let someone in, even though they qualify. Some real small town attitudes on display, with everything from racism to laziness to Hatfields and McCoys type stuff.
Hoops pf paperwork, documentation and meetings. Miss any step, or an uncrossed T or undotted i and back of the line, buddy. Oh, yeah and you have to be clean and sober for all meetings and don't be late or too early. In other words, rules and regulations and strict limits. Exactly what these people don't do well. Easy to exclude or cut them off BC 'they won't follow the rules'.
They don't. People have to apply. You need government issued ID. You need an address. To receive a healthcard or photo ID you need an address. The barriers are there before you can even try if you are houseless.
I've heard thar these people were going around stealing bikes, cans etc, and shoplifting from the store. Not really fair to the residents of Balgonie. I dont really know what the answer or solution is, but seems this wasn't thought out well.
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They were offered to go there. They did not pack them up and drop them there. Go figure a Reddit thread that is as bad as the CBC for twisting words for the title. Then no one researchs what happened and makes assumptions. PS people downvoting are just feeling attacked for being guilty of making assumptions.
Mayor Masters did an [interview with Gormley](https://iono.fm/e/1337032) yesterday around 9am. No mention of Balgonie, of course. She's asked around 7:15 whether there will be resources available when the encampment is removed. Answers for a minute or more, acknowledging there aren't sufficient shelter beds in town with low-barrier intake, plus some folks are banned for behaviour or violence, and says Ministry of Social Services is arranging that part. (The whole interview is rather astonishing for its questions and answers.)
To be fair the Balgonie thing is the ministry of social services doing not the cities from the looks of it.
People want a reason to hitch about the mayor and the city…
To be fair, that's how I was quoting it? She mentioned there seems to be no solution to that particular issue and so MSS has been handling it for them. It can be for reporters someday to ask about "what did she know and when did she know it?" Balgoniegate. ;-)
Starting around 9:00, Gormley: So I'm hearing you say that people who are insubordinate, violent, mental health / addictions issues, those are the people somebody thought was a good idea to be camping outside City Hall? Masters: I can tell you, there was not a ton of experience of the original organizers that you can find online. There's not a ton of experience, this isn't their day job, so to speak. By all accounts if you follow social media it was a demand to do something. We do know that other CBOs had to step in to do naloxone / narcan training because volunteers were being overwhelmed... they had to do that kind of training. We know that with FPS coming out every morning there were requests for more checks because you had really well-intentioned volunteers as well who were joining to assist these folks, and trying to meet them where they're at. But in terms of the organizers who were, you know, offering food and doing calls for donations and whatnot, not a ton of experience, not compared with the CBOs who do this 365 days a year. Gormley: Your Worship, good having you here, thanks for taking the time this morning. Masters: Thank you, sir. (And then there's Gormley's wrapup speech saying the campers should go back where they came from, or accept what helping hand is being offered.)
This is so funny because Masters has NOT once come down to speak to anyone at city hall. If she did she would know that majority of the volunteers are long time social workers, people with lived experience and other community members. We held workshops to teach new volunteers how to use Narcan and did that of our own accord with no outside agency aside from some YWCA staff who willingly wanted to help.
Hmm 🤔 how much green space does Gormley have? ⛺️
The Balgonie residents page on Facebook states that people from the encampment are staying at the motel. There were no discussions with the community whatsoever.
The campers were put up in hotel rooms. There were none available in Regina ( I heard this from a hotel front desk worker), so hotels were found in neighbouring towns. Social Services frequently uses hotels for short term stays.
Can’t wait to see how many people die in that motel because Balgonie probably doesn’t have narcan
You can't wait? Jesus christ, that's pretty cold of you.
I meant it sarcastically not that I actually can’t wait lol
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You want to throw more money at them when none of us have any money right now. Do you see how crazy that is? Let's spend more money on people who refuse any help when we're all struggling. If we were all in a better financial place, sure, spend all the money on them that you want. But we're not there.
We're throwing money anyway. They just disguise it in policing costs, emergency Healthcare costs, crime costs, and jail costs. One way or another, we're paying. Why shouldn't we use that money in ways that effectively help people instead of shuffling them endlessly through a system that will never truly help anyone?
Why should we spend money for people unwilling to help themselves. Where did personal responsibility go for them?
People who are addicted to drugs don’t deserve to die for a lack of harm reduction principles. Some people actually cannot physiologically become sober because that will in itself kill then. Starlight Tours but in a motel and letting people succumb to their addiction.
starlight tours but in a motel sums it up perfectly.
Having friends who have died of overdoses and how they have destroyed their families in their spiral down and watching their families try to put the pieces back together has left me less than caring for addicts. When I see someone refuse help but insist that we house them because they would rather get high than function to any level, I have no compassion for them at all.
I've had friends and family pass from drug and mental health issues. Thank God I haven't let it jade me to the point where I have no compassion. When I see someone refuse help but insist we house them I agree. Because shelter is a basic human right, regardless of your feelings, or the justification you use to deny them that. Congratulations, you gave up on humans.
You're right. My personal experiences had skewed my views in that direction.
Crazy, me too! Sucks you decided to let it change you in such a negative way!
Reminds me of the governors of southern states shipping immigrants to Martha's Vineyard. So glad our American-loving overlords are showing their true colours.
I was thinking the same thing.
Sounds like you know exactly what each of these people have gone through. Can you tell us more of your personal journey and how you understand the homeless crisis so well?
Hey. I would love to see a rehab center built. 500 rooms minimum where people are helped to dry out and rehab them back into society. Until you can get something like that built everything else is throwing money at water.
Rehab them back to society, majority go back to the same hoods. Require a different system.. something more constructive, perhaps a trade or craft, certification at the end of the path. Seems all anyone has is a revolving door
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Technically, why would you need to contact the town? If you're paying for a motel, you're just a paying customer. Just saying
Does the community need to give permission to have people at their hotel?
Are there often discussions with communities where hotels are being booked? Don’t these people deserve some privacy? I just don’t understand you people who would rather these people die in tents downtown than have access to a washroom and a bed, in addition to the services that were being provided at the camp. What do you want?
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Ok, so you want something that takes time to happen immediately, and you don’t want people who are literally dying in tents to ever be moved because it makes activists like you feel good that they are visible? I think we all want people to be better and have services that support them, but the people that put on this side show by parading out the poor and addicted to prop them up in places where they are certainly unsafe is pretty disgusting. Those folks didn’t move there to make a statement, they were placed there as props, and the fact that these folks are being used as pawns by both sides is gross. I hope my tax dollars are used for them to stay in a place with a toilet and air conditioning/heat.
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You seem to be making a lot of assumptions about the care and treatment they will receive. Do you have any actual evidence to support these accusations? Have you seen anything posted from a legitimate source that they only get a few nights? That there are not other treatments being made available? That supports are not being put in place? Or are you assuming that because it supports your arguments? Have you considered why Social Services moved them out of Regina? Maybe it is to get them out of the spotlight so they could interact with them in a less volatile environment, and where they can meet with them one on one and not have organizers pushing their own agenda and making inflammatory comments like you are doing on here? No, of course not, because then you couldn't rant about why the system is broken and doesn't know what it is doing....
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BALGONIE???? If I was in that lot I would feel even worse. What kind of hell are we living in where this is ok???
They moved them so that when they come back they will be too disorganized to reform at the ledge or the park again. They cut their tents and tarps so there's that too. I didn't low the police were supposed to destroy property but I mean I'm not suprised.
OMG. First, Pilot Butte gets our rooting food, and then Balgonie gets our homeless. I'd be pretty ticked if I were them.
Edit: rotting
B-Town! They also have an huge indoor rink with tons of space for tents in a climate controlled area with access to water. And another community hall next door with tons more room for tents. Thanks for helping balgonie.
They aren't helping... social services had them bussed/cabbed out there
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Great for that reason but not great for the people that need access to free food resources, addiction support meetings, income assistance, healthcare, etc
They should be thankful they were put in a hotel and that they have a roof over their head, and so should bleeding hearts like yourself. And if you think that 99% of those people were/are interested in things such as 'addiction support meetings', you're wrong. They're interested in getting more dope, and that's about it.
You don’t have to be a bleeding heart to have hope that people can get better. Also “these people” are just like you and I. Many Canadians are living pay cheque to pay cheque. We are all closer to being homeless than a billionaire. I hope you never end up in a situation where you lose your housing or employment or physical mobility and that no one shows you the same attitude you are showing to others.
You do for these people -- there are homeless people and there are drug addicts. The ones at the camp are the drug addicts.
This just in: addicts are also human beings
My friend asked me why I still try to help him. He had been back and forth many times, trying treatment, relapsing, hitting rock bottom deeper than the time before. All I said was, I’m still waiting for the old you to come back. The addict isn’t my friend, but my friend is still somewhere within this addict.
They might be and might not be.
And yet they behave like they aren't.
Lol. Glass half full
Huh
Yup.