The Pulse: Nov. 27, 2024

As Edmonton enters an election year with rising housing prices and record numbers of residents who are homeless, Taproot spoke to experts to explore how other cities have found success transitioning people from being homeless to housed.

There were about 4,700 homeless people living in Edmonton in September, an increase of nearly 2,000 from the same time last year, according to Homeward Trust's point-in-time count. Nearly 1,200 people in Edmonton were without any shelter in September, about 850 were staying in shelters, and 2,700 were provisionally accommodated in temporary housing.

Nearly all cities face unique housing challenges, with homelessness often being the biggest. One approach that has gained popularity over the past decade is called Housing First. In Housing First programs, homeless people receive subsidized housing regardless of their challenges, removing the once-common requirement that people had to be sober or meet other difficult criteria before receiving housing. Still, each city, including Edmonton, has its own approach to Housing First.

• The City of Edmonton is updating its migrant inclusion policy to better support the growing immigrant population. The policy, presented to council's community and public services committee, aims to ensure equitable access to municipal services and resources. It outlines guidance for addressing challenges faced by migrants, such as employment and housing.
• Alberta RCMP are investigating the death of a 33-year-old Edmonton man who died after participating in a mixed martial arts event in Enoch. The charity event, organized by Ultra MMA, featured novice fighters and raised concerns among some participants about the level of medical supervision and regulation on site. The death follows a recent fatality inquiry report calling for changes in combative sports regulation in Alberta.
• City councillors on the urban planning committee reviewed a report outlining the effects of a potential cut to Edmonton's neighborhood renewal budget by 25% and 35%. "I think scaling back by 25%, that is going to have huge impact on communities and neighbourhoods. For me, that is not a goal," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said. The program's costs are being reviewed as councillors grapple with budget pressures and a proposed 8.1% tax increase in 2025. City council will begin budget discussions next week.
• Edmontonians can donate non-perishable food and funds to support local food banks during the 30th annual ETS Stuff a Bus campaign, running from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1. Donations can be made at participating Save-On-Foods locations, online, or via text. The fundraiser is a collaboration between Edmonton Transit Service, Strathcona County Transit Service, and Save-On-Foods.
• The Alberta government announced plans to open a $23-million Northern Alberta Youth Recovery Centre in 2026 by renovating part of the Edmonton Young Offender Centre to add 105 recovery beds. The facility, separate from the corrections centre, will treat up to 300 young people with addictions annually, including those mandated into treatment under provincial legislation. Some questioned the appropriateness of the centre's location next to a correctional facility, but the province said the plan will allow it to open treatment beds more quickly.
• CTV News explored the accessibility of Edmonton concert venues, finding that while there are efforts to improve accessibility for people with disabilities, challenges remain. Raven Van Camp, a wheelchair user, reviewed accessibility features at the Winspear Centre and Rogers Place. CTV published details on the accessibility of several other venues in the city.
• Edmonton Police Service Det. Michael Bates has been charged with assault following an investigation into an incident at Corona LRT Station in January. The police service said Bates remains on active duty in a non-patrol and non-supervisory role. No other details about the incident were released.
• Expedia released its Canadian winter travel trends report, highlighting Canada's top destinations. Edmonton was fourth on a list of 10 trending destinations for winter, ninth among the most searched destinations this winter, and fifth among the most searched destinations over the Christmas holidays. The outlook also shows American interest in cities like Vancouver, Québec City, and Banff has surged.

This is one of 12 interviews conducted with various Edmontonians about their experience with the housing system. It has been edited for clarity and length. Read more about why and how Taproot embarked on this series.

Rob MacIsaac is the client services coordinator for Spinal Cord Injury Alberta, a non-profit society whose mission is "to empower persons with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities to achieve independence and full community participation." MacIsaac is a registered social worker who experienced a spinal cord injury in his late teenage years. He received his social work education and experience in Edmonton after moving here from Nova Scotia in 2014.

Can you tell us what role you play in the housing ecosystem now?

I work for a nonprofit organization where we help individuals after suffering a traumatic or non-traumatic spinal cord injury or similar physical disability. Our motto is "Adapt Adjust Thrive." So one of those pieces reintegrating back into the community is finding accessible housing, whether that is finding a private rental, helping individuals renovate, or getting into a housing co-op or similar.

Can you talk a little bit about how you got into this role?

I have lived experience with a spinal cord injury going on 20 years, from a motor vehicle accident when I was 18. I broke my neck and became a high-level quadriplegic. Even though I have a high-level injury, I have a high amount of physical function. So living the life of an individual that requires accessibility and accommodations, it really helped me to see the gaps in many areas, but specifically housing post-injury.

Can you tell us about your journey?

Being from a rural town in Nova Scotia at the time of my injury, we had to look at where I was going to go. My hometown was two hours away from the hospital. So for me, it took a year and a bit to be able to find an accessible place that suited my needs at the time, which was barrier-free access, roll-in shower, which are very few and far between. We found one in Halifax and I jumped on it. That's when really for me, my quality of life really started to elevate. I was working with other people like me. That's really where I knew this is what I wanted to do. You know, I want to work with these individuals. I want to see these individuals thrive. Want to see them become part of a community, even though they're going to be part of a marginalized community.

This is one of 12 interviews conducted with various Edmontonians about their experience with the housing system. It has been edited for clarity and length. Read more about why and how Taproot embarked on this series.

Chris Tieland is a property manager with Realty Canada Inc., a provincially licensed, full-service property management company based in Edmonton. He manages about 160 properties. About 70 of the properties in his book are owned by single-property owners. The rest are owned by people with portfolios that range from two to 40 homes.

Can you tell us what role a property manager plays in the housing ecosystem?

I work entirely on the single-family side. I'm dealing with portfolio owners or just one-off owners. So they hire me to do all the day-to-day on their properties, place tenants, maintain their property, do the inspections, evict if necessary, (do) renovations if necessary. Pretty much a full meal deal as far as taking care of other people's properties.

How did you get into the housing?

I started out with a real estate course. Took my life savings, I think it was $20,000 at the time. I just left university because I was attempting a psychology degree at the time, because I've always liked to help people. But while you're raising four children and trying to do university, it was too hard on a family. So I took my life savings, bought an old dilapidated house, and went in there and banged my own nails and painted the walls, and probably tripled my money on that very first deal and never really looked back. Between 2003 and 2007, I did the same thing with multiple houses and hung on to a few rental properties at the same time. After 2008, I got out of real estate, went into selling insurance and securities, did that for several years, and then I got back into it about eight or nine years ago now.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Managing Contracts and Shifting Liability Webinar starting at 10am online
• Speaker Series: Ecological Leadership Across Canada starting at 10am online
• Supportive Housing Visits starting at 11am at Ambrose Place
• Social Purpose 101: Corporate Social Responsibility & Employee Engagement starting at 12pm online
• Virtual Briefing: Potential Impacts from the US Election starting at 12pm online
• Emerging Health Leaders Fall Networking starting at 4:30pm at Kelly's Pub
• Northern Alberta Velocity Showcase starting at 5pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Embodied Carbon Holiday Mixer starting at 5pm at Craft Beer Market
• Indigenous Artist-in-Residence Program Information Session starting at 5:30pm at the Orange Hub
• Taproot presents: A conversation about housing starting at 6pm at CKUA Performance Space
• Nov. 27-29: GROW Women Leaders Summit at the Edmonton Convention Centre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Dec. 7-29: Candy Cane Lane
• Dec. 16: Bright Light Skate Night at Edmonton City Hall Plaza
• Dec. 19: An Evening with Kevin McDonald at the Grindstone Theatre

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.