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Addressing concerns on homeless shelters

Wood Buffalo Housing (WBH) announced the Alberta government will no longer fund the Marshall House Emergency Homeless Shelter.

CUPE was surprised over the January 31 closure of Marshall House, which affects 10 unionized staff and as many as 30 tenants.

“We’re concerned of course for them losing their employment, as well as the clients who they serve losing a place to sleep at night,” said Judy Collier, CUPE 1505 President.

She adds that their funding has always been year to year and they always had a bit of worry that it wouldn’t continue but were confident that they would have been able to stay open until at least March 2020.

Collier notes that the employees have a great relationship with the tenants and are concerned about what will happen to them.

The first floor of Marshall House is an emergency shelter and the second and third floors are housing members of the community who are transitioning into other homes.

“They will probably lose their housing as well, because if the building doesn’t have funding the building will completely close.”

On the positive side, The Salvation Army is prepared to take on the extra tenants.

Collier had been under the impression that the Salvation Army was already pretty full with their mat program however Major Steve Hibbs says that isn’t the case.

Major Hibbs says they had extra beds installed three years ago.

“I think as a city and as a province, 10 years ago we starting looking at the project of eradicating homelessness and to come to the point right now where we are in the position to close one shelter and to be able to accommodate the numbers in an other one, I think that is a great accomplishment in our city,” said Major Hibbs adding that the downside is people will be losing jobs, “We rejoice on one end, we feel sad on the other, but lets rejoice on the fact that we have accomplished something.” 

He says that it would be great that if in five to ten years that the Salvation Army had to close its shelter because they don’t have people to occupy their bunks.

Currently they average about 35-40 people a night for their mat program.

They have 32 bunks and average 25-27 people a night with an extra 22 beds that have been installed but have remained unused.

Major Hibbs encourages anyone with any doubt or fear that they aren’t up to the task to take a “seeing is believing tour” to get a better understanding of their services and shelter accommodations.

“When we talk about emergency shelter versus homeless shelter, that is two different ball games,” said Major Hibbs. “I think there was some confusion as to whether we just operate one shelter, we actually operate two.” 

Collier still has some concerns with the shelters being in the same building.

“I do understand that they will have two separate areas, one which we will be a dry area, so no intoxication, and the other area, which is considered a wet area where they will take anyone, in any shape. I’m concerned about the two types of facilities being in the same building, because they will be, one on the top floor, one in the basement. So that’s going to mix two types of people that perhaps is going to make a more volatile situation.” 

She is hoping Marshall House can secure funding to stay in operation and is working with the national CUPE office to find a solution.

To further address on going concerns for the homeless in Fort McMurray, the Centre of Hope is also looking to rebuild their facility.

The Centre of Hope is the only shelter that is open during the day time for individuals living in homelessness to drop in.

They have been located in the same building on McLeod St. since 2005 and serve on average between 60 and 70 individuals daily.