Latest news with #BernadetteSmith
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Province, city too slow to secure housing for people living in encampments, North Point Douglas residents say
Dozens of people have found homes through the Manitoba government's plan to end chronic homelessness since January, but one man living in a Winnipeg homeless encampment says many vulnerable people are waiting too long for a roof over their heads and the supports they need. Marcus Daniels-Francis, 26, has been living in a riverbank encampment near the North Point Douglas neighbourhood for the past two months. He says he's known about four or five people who have found housing through the provincial Your Way Home strategy. The province says 59 people have been placed into housing since the strategy was introduced in January. About 90 per cent of people have moved into social or affordable housing, with 10 per cent going to private, market-rate housing. In a statement to CBC News on Saturday Housing and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith, who is the MLA for Point Douglas, said the government is working with the city and Main Street Project to "move people from tents into housing with wraparound supports." Smith said all 59 people are still housed. "From what I've seen, the government definitely has been helping people out, getting people off the encampments. But they aren't helping enough people yet," Daniels-Francis said. "It's a slow pace," he said. Daniels-Francis, who is a member of Long Plain First Nation, said he will be moving into his own apartment on Aug. 1, without help from the provincial program. He said he is enrolled in school and will be studying to become a welder. He said he will also be undergoing treatment for alcohol addiction. He said ongoing support for addictions and mental health should be a key part of the government's strategy, otherwise people will fall into the same patterns — as he has in the past —of getting and losing housing. "It'll be nice. I'll be able to cook my own food. I'll be able to sleep when I want to go to sleep, wake up when I want to wake up," Daniels-Francis said, adding it can be difficult to sleep in the encampment due to loud fights and other noise from his neighbours. North Point Douglas resident Howard Warren said he has been struggling to sleep for two weeks as noise from a nearby encampment has kept him up at night. He said it's the "seventh summer of absolute chaos" living in his neighbourhood. Despite feeling encouraged that the province's strategy has found housing for some, Warren said it's not helping people fast enough and "we have to do more." "We want the best for them … we're very sympathetic to the situation," he said. Over the past few summers, Warren said he has been woken by a man trying to enter his home at 2 a.m., had property stolen, and even had a gun pointed at his head after trying to provide water to a woman on the riverbank. Last week, he wrote a letter to Mayor Scott Gillingham and city council asking for help. "This is such a regular, ongoing daily, nightly occurrence ... When you reach the end of your tether, you kind of snap. I thought I really need to address this in a different way than it has been so far," Warren said. In his letter, he questioned what he calls the outreach approach of Main Street Project, a local non-profit organization that received an exclusive contract from the city to handle all outreach calls at Winnipeg encampments earlier this month. Warren wondered why outreach group St. Boniface Street Links was cut off from municipal funding. The city had previously split outreach funding between Main Street Project, St. Boniface Street Links, and Resource Assistance for Youth. Warren previously spoke to CBC News in May after he said he witnessed Main Street Project workers set up an encampment along the riverbank in his community. "Following the 'human-rights approach,' as Main Street Project puts it, I don't see that as alleviating either the suffering and misery of the unhoused folks or the communities that are greatly affected by it," Warren said. Earlier this month, Coun. Cindy Gilroy tabled a motion to ban encampments from some public places like parks and pools. This week, Coun. Jeff Browaty said he would like to see tents barred beside major roadways as well. Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie, whose ward includes the North Point Douglas neighbourhood, responded to Warren's letter on Friday in a document viewed by CBC News. Eadie wrote that he will allocate funding to St. Boniface Street Links and the city should do the same. "I am making the decision right here to use up the rest of the Mynarski Ward Community fund balance for this organization to deal with encampments in the Mynarski Ward. I shouldn't have to as other needs in my ward need this money, but my residents have spoken," Eadie wrote. Warren told CBC News he was "extremely encouraged" by Eadie's response and planned to write back thanking his councillor. He was also encouraged that Manitoba's Your Way Home strategy had housed 59 people since January. But at less than 10 people housed per month over the last six months, Warren said the province must pick up the pace. "It just fundamentally sounds like they could be adopting more of a model to get people in houses and get people the help they need, they desperately need," Warren said. "I know it takes a big ship a long time to turn, but it's seven straight summers of this and it's going throughout the winter now too."
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fifty-nine people moved out of tents and into homes
The province has moved 59 people from encampments to housing as it works on a strategy to find shelter for an estimated 700 Manitobans who live in encampments. 'They're taking pride and flourishing,' Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said Friday of the people who have been housed. 'We want to make sure everyone gets the proper support and they're successful.' Since the government's strategy Your Way Home was announced in January, 53 of the 59 former tent residents have moved into social housing. Six live in private rentals, a spokesman for the minister said. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said nicer weather draws more people to tent living, but the province is working with the city, the federal government, community partners and private landlords to 'get people into housing that's a more desirable place for them.' In March, the federal-provincial welfare top-up program to help those living in encampments afford market rents stopped accepting new applications. In May, the province announced 67 new social housing units, all of which are occupied, Smith said Friday. As expected, encampments have expanded during the summer, prompting neighbours and Winnipeg city councillors to express concern about health and safety concerns — for residents in and near the tent villages, and motorists who drive by them. 'This is what happens when you normalize this type of living in tent encampments' said Marion Willis, executive director of St. Boniface Street Links. 'In the past, people seeking resources looked for someone to house them. Now they're told 'come and join us,' she said Friday. 'We've normalized an incredible level of social dysfunction,' Willis said. On Friday, Coun. Ross Eadie, whose Mynarski ward is home to several encampments, released a letter he had written to Smith, Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham and one of his constituents who's asked officials to address the 'crime' and 'chaos' from encampments. 'Your Way Home has the policy of providing 24/7 support for those getting out of encampments,' Eadie wrote. 'Well, we need 24/7 support for the residents living near encampments.' Smith said nicer weather draws more people to tent living, but the province is working with the city, the federal government, community partners and private landlords to 'get people into housing that's a more desirable place for them.' 'We are doing everything we can to bring as many units online as possible, and we believe the province is also working to bring every possible housing unit online as quickly as they can.'–Jamil Mahmood The head of Main Street Project, which received the only contract from the city to move people from tents to housing, said many more units are needed — and quickly. 'We are doing everything we can to bring as many units online as possible, and we believe the province is also working to bring every possible housing unit online as quickly as they can,' executive director Jamil Mahmood said in a statement Friday. Main Street Project hopes to have another 12 social housing units available in the next two weeks that can house 15 to 20 people from encampments, he said. 'The social housing being brought online has all the supports needed for people to be successful,' Mahmood said. The non-profit organization is concerned about those in private rentals relying on rent top-ups becoming at risk for homelessness again, he said. 'The rent top-up highlights how the private sector cannot fill this gap, and the need for more funded social housing is key to addressing this housing crisis,' Mahmood said. Two years ago while campaigning to become premier, Wab Kinew said it was not 'realistic' to rely on social housing alone to end chronic homelessness — that the province needs to work with the private sector and landlords to move people out of bus shelters and tents into housing. 'The premier was right on the mark,' said Willis with Street Links, which relies on private rental units to move their clients from tents to apartments. Even without the federal-provincial rent subsidy, Street Links has housed 28 people so far this month in private rentals, she said. On Friday, they were in the process of housing a couple — a pregnant woman and her partner — who had been living in a tent in the West End. They had been receiving food and water from outreach workers who suggested they get on the social housing wait list. 'It's more efficient to work with people in a housed situation than an unhoused situation,' said Willis. Low-barrier housing with some stability and security is better than no housing, she said BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS FILES Encampments have expanded during the summer, prompting neighbours and Winnipeg city councillors to express concern about health and safety concerns — for residents in and near the tent villages, and motorists who drive by them. 'You're in a house that has heat, with a toilet and fridge and stove,' she said. 'A terrible place to live is a dirty encampment on the riverbank.' On Thursday, Kinew said that when his government took office, it was constrained by the lack of housing units after the former government sold some of its housing stock. He said they're in the process of building and restoring social housing units and helping those estimated 700 Manitobans move from tents to homes. 'We're working hard,' said Kinew, who credited city and non-profit partners for working together. 'We're all on the same page,' he said. 'It's just going to take years of consistent effort to get to that 700 number. When we first committed to this, we said it would take eight years. We're two years in. If we maintain this pace, I think we'll get to where we need to go,' the premier said. — with files from the Brandon Sun Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Manitoba helping to pay for repairs at Brandon housing co-op
The Manitoba government is paying to help repair a housing co-op in Brandon that's been in operation for nearly 40 years. On Thursday, Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith announced the province is giving $500,000 to the Spruce Woods Housing Co-op—a facility that provides affordable housing to low-income families and seniors. According to Smith, the provincial funds will be used for repairs and maintenance at the 81-unit facility, located at 30 Braecrest Dr. She added this money will also help to keep rent affordable at the co-op. 'We've put a lot of focus on moving people from encampments into housing, but that's just one part of our housing plan,' she said. 'We're also protecting the affordable housing that we already have, investing in places like right here, Spruce Woods Housing Co-op.' The Spruce Woods Housing Co-op also receives over $14,000 a month through the province's non-profit housing funding model.
CBC
10-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Brandon affordable housing co-op gets $500K for long-sought repairs
A Brandon housing co-op that has been pleading with the Manitoba government for funds to repair its aging infrastructure got a $500,000 response on Thursday. "To the residents of Spruce Woods Housing Co-op, you have each other's back, and now your government is stepping up in a way to have your back," Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said at a funding announcement. The 40-year-old co-op complex on Braecrest Drive in the western Manitoba city offers housing to qualifying low-income families and seniors. It has 81 units and about 160 residents. Manager Eva Cameron has been advocating for a couple of years for money from the province, saying without capital funding for expensive repairs, the co-op would have struggled to keep rents affordable. "In April 2023, we started reaching out to all levels of government for help. At a time when everyone was talking about the need for affordable housing … we thought, how hard can it be to get the support that we needed? Well, we certainly heard the word no a lot." At the time, the current NDP government was in Opposition and its MLAs were the only ones who would listen to Cameron's concerns, she said. Since the NDP came to power in 2023, there have been more yeses, she said. Last year, the province and co-op inked a new five-year deal to support the complex with operational costs of $14,000 each month. The additional $500,000 will help ensure repair work gets done and rents stay affordable, Cameron said. "We won't have to look at increasing our rent by $100-plus a month or even just give up on providing affordable housing altogether." Some members of the co-op pay $300-$400 a month on rent, which amounts to 30 per cent of their total income, but that money doesn't go far when appliances need to be replaced or other maintenance done, Cameron said. "By being able to provide affordable housing, it allows our seniors to live with dignity, it helps our families to be able to afford feeding their children, and in many cases, it has helped many families save enough money for the down payment on their very first home," she said. "We're not only a co-op that provides affordable housing, we're a community — a community that helps each other. We look out for each other. We even drive out to Carberry to load a truck of potatoes to bring back for our members." Natalie Karnatzki, who has a fixed income and has lived in the complex with her daughter for about two years, said without support for affordable housing, there are limited options for families like hers. "Before here, I was living in a two-bedroom apartment above a beer vendor," she said. "It's a really bad area, because the, you know, the bar is there, everything's right there and definitely was a scary area." Carl Partridge, who has lived in Spruce Woods for five years, is no longer able to work and relies on affordable and subsidized housing. If rents go up, "I'd be out on the street, because for me right now [my income is] $800 a month," he said. The funding still isn't enough to do all the work the co-op needs, which would cost $2.5 million, Cameron said. Cameron, whom Brandon East MLA Glen Simard called a "tenacious, strong advocate," said she will continue to try to bend the ears of the other levels of government in her quest for more funding. The co-op also continues to fundraise what it can on its own. In the meantime, Cameron intends to identify the most pressing needs at the complex and get them addressed "as quickly as we can." Those include refurbishing 28 townhouses, installing energy-efficient windows and possibly moving the office so its current space can become another housing unit.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-07-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
Minister says ‘listening and consulting' on supervised drug site continues
Manitoba is 'forging ahead' with plans to establish its first supervised consumption site, in Winnipeg, this year, says the minister leading the charge. 'This is something that's still top of mind and something we're forging ahead on,' Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said Monday. The NDP campaigned on a promise to establish a supervised consumption site in the 2023 election because the Tory government at the time refused to consider it. 'This is very personal for me,' the minister said in an interview. 'I've met with far too many loved ones who've lost someone to an overdose and this is about getting it right.' The province hasn't yet 'landed' on a proposed site but is 'moving toward' on having a site up and running by year's end, Smith said. On July 12, 2024, the Manitoba government announced $727,000 to support the development of an Indigenous-led supervised consumption site in partnership with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg. The Indigenous organization applied in November to Health Canada for a licence to operate the harm-reduction service in Point Douglas; its staff would be trained to respond to accidental overdoses and other emergencies, and help patients access health and social services. In April, community members at a public consultation meeting raised concerns about a proposed site at 200 Disraeli Fwy., and how it could affect the safety of their neighbourhood. 'We're listening to everyone that's coming to the table with ideas, whether that's for or against. We want to listen to both and we've certainly heard from both.'– Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith 'We're still listening and consulting with folks,' Smith said. 'We're listening to everyone that's coming to the table with ideas, whether that's for or against. We want to listen to both and we've certainly heard from both.' The NDP government's spring budget includes $1.3 million for Shared Health to contract with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre to operate the site. It would be the first Indigenous-led facility of its kind in Canada, the province says. Each proposed supervised consumption site requires an exemption under section 56.1 of the federal Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Health Canada says. A completed application must include key information related to policies and procedures, personnel, local conditions, community consultations and finances. Health Canada lists the Winnipeg application as being in the 'review' stage and 'awaiting key information before decision can be taken.' Related Articles Many parts to fighting addictions crisis 944 needles in 16 parks over 10 days Harm reduction, not handcuffs Law-enforcement part of supervised-consumption site plan, police say Minister on hot seat over supervised drug site Opponents of supervised consumption sites need to do their research Skyrocketing opioid calls take toll on first responders Minister reassures Point Douglas safety top concern in rollout of supervised drug site 'We got lucky': Sunshine House, WFPS save 10 from overdoses Think twice before rejecting Disraeli proposal for safe consumption site Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. 'We're not rushing this by any means,' Smith said. 'We've listened to experts, we've listened to community members, we've listened to folks on the front lines, those who are in their addictions and we're going to continue to do that work,' Smith said. 'We've also gone and looked at other jurisdictions. We want to make sure that we're creating a made in Manitoba model (where) safety and security is No. 1' with treatment and recovery supports in place. Carol SandersLegislature reporter Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol. Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
