The fallout from the decision to tear down the homeless encampment outside Regina city hall has made its way to city council.
The encampment was destroyed in late July and hosted 83 tents at its peak. Now, the area remains fenced off, and Mayor Sandra Masters said there are biohazards in the grass.
At Wednesday’s city council meeting, Ward 1 Coun. Cheryl Stadnichuk, Ward 3 Coun. Andrew Stevens, Ward 6 Coun. Dan LeBlanc and Ward 8 Coun. Shanon Zachidniak are calling for the city to declare a “houselessness emergency.”
The motion in front of council also asks:
- For the city to call on the provincial and federal governments to contribute emergency funding to address the crisis.
- For city administration to create a plan to provide temporary barrier-free shelter for all Regina residents in need by the end of the third quarter of 2023.
- That the city make a long-term commitment to addressing homelessness as part of the 2024 budget process.
- That safety guidelines be created for encampments.
- That encampments only be dismantled for safety reasons if there is a documented pattern of unwillingness from camp organizers to address multiple safety concerns.
According to the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting, Regina saw an increase of 110 per cent in the Point-in-time Homelessness which saw its total rise from 232 people in 2015, to 488 in 2021.
More to come…
Regina city hall grounds ‘quite polluted’ with human waste, mayor says
