Advocates echo Manitoba premier’s call for action on homelessness

Local advocates say they agree with Premier Wab Kinew’s view that leaders need to do more to help Winnipeg’s homeless population.

Kinew’s comments Thursday were in reaction to violence at a Portage and Main protest, which was calling for answers in the death of an encampment resident who was killed by a police cruiser earlier this week.

“This issue is manifesting in different ways and it’s becoming very divisive in our society,” Kinew said.

“Politicians have a responsibility to one, not amplify divisions in this society, but two, try to heal divisions in this society.

“I don’t think there’s any denying that yesterday’s events, that recent things we’ve seen in our province are calling on all of us at the leadership level to do more to address a humanitarian crisis.”

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End Homelessness Winnipeg’s Jason Whitford told 680 CJOB’s The News that a key element of addressing homelessness is for people to be kind, and support those who need help the most.

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“I agree 100 per cent with what (Kinew) is saying. That’s been our messaging, that we do need all hands on deck, that it is wrong and unacceptable to allow people to remain on the streets, to live without shelter.

“The community aspect is critical to a person’s well-being — their success, their ability to adapt.

“We can’t take a person and put them in a box and help to heal, to succeed, to feel safe. There’s elements out there that are within encampments that can be replicated and turned into housing development and housing models.”

Housing solutions, he said, are crucial to any kind of success at addressing homelessness.

“This is where we all need to roll up our sleeves we need to come up with solutions on expediting the creation of new and deeply affordable social, transitional housing. We can’t be putting people in places that are undignified and unsafe.”

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Community advocate Sel Burrows told 680 CJOB’s The Jim Toth Show that the root causes of homelessness, like mental health and addictions, need to be examined in order to help.

“We desperately need what’s called ‘wraparound services’ for people like that,” Burrows said, “so that they can successfully live in a house.”

Burrows said the issue isn’t limited to Winnipeg, but local politicians and community groups in the city need to work together to find solutions.