Conklin is facing a homelessness crisis according to a draft report from Peter Fortna of Willow Springs Strategic Solutions.
The report was mainly based on focus groups with community members, nearly all of which said they’ve experienced the negative effects of homelessness in one way or another.
According to the report there aren’t enough houses or land for residents to have a safe place to live.
Community members who took part in the focus groups expressed a desire for a rent-to-own program, but point out that previous versions of the program have allowed for sales of homes to people outside of the community.
The primarily Indigenous community feels pushed out of the land by development, which is dramatically impacting their traditional territories.
One community member said industry development has made their land almost unrecognizable.
“Nowadays, you can’t find the smaller animals, you can’t eat or a lot of them are protected now, so you don’t want to bother them. You can’t fill your freezer anymore and it’s been hard if you can’t work.”
The Wood Buffalo Housing and Development Corporation (WBHDC) is taking measures, including signing a memorandum of understanding with the Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee (CRDAC).
They’re also expected to purchase and place four more trailers in the community.
Currently, there are homes in the hamlet that house temporary oil sands workers, adding to the crisis.
The report lists six solutions needed to solve the homelessness crisis in the community.
