With ongoing discussions around the location of shelter facilities in our city, the Chamber continues to push for measures that address the needs of all stakeholders, including those living, working or operating a business in the vicinity of shelters. When shelter services are located in areas and buildings ill-equipped to accommodate their functions, the result can be devastating for all involved, particularly those who need shelter and related services. While there are no easy solutions to this challenge, we continue to advance policy ideas to help mitigate the impact of facilities while safeguarding the dignity and safety of those who require them.

Here is an overview of the ideas we’ve proposed.

• Stronger shelter requirements
• Revise the current development permit for Emergency Residential Shelters to a period of no more than 9 months.
• Clarify how input from area stakeholders would be solicited and considered as part of any renewal application.
• Beyond “Good Neighbour Agreements” develop stronger standards and penalties to incentivize adequate property maintenance, management of tripping hazards and garbage, accountability for loitering, and exterior monitoring by the operator.
• Require facilities to provide adequate spaces for cultural ceremony.
• Require facilities to provide on-site outdoor spaces, in proportion to the number of people they shelter, with suitable access to the facility that will not impede arterial roadway traffic or surrounding businesses.

• Enlist private security
  With the opening of this facility, there will be increases in incidences of vandalism, property damage and incivilities in the neighbouring area. Given that police resources are scarce, we suggest that City Council explore implementing an alternative crime prevention strategy, similar to those seen in Halifax and Calgary. The City of Calgary’s pilot project in its East Village employs private security guards to patrol the area and serve as a deterrents of crime. These officers are trained to provide assistance, interject when necessary and guide individuals to social services. In addition, a “Safety Hub” is centrally located in the neighbourhood. This space serves as an outpost for city police officers, private security and community support workers to utilize while patrolling the area. By utilizing private security, specialized and highly compensated police officers can focus their efforts elsewhere to keep our city safe.

• Compensation and fairness for businesses
  Local business owners in the vicinity of shelter facilities are left to deal with vandalism, property damage, and petty crime with the increase of vulnerable people in the area. Direct costs involve significantly higher insurance, security, hiring, and capital repair/replacement costs. Dollars spent in these areas mean fewer dollars to create the jobs and generate economic activity we all need to keep our city growing. We urge the province to consider a rebate that could be provided to small and medium size businesses who are incurring the costs of keeping our local communities clean, safe, accessible and open for business. A similar program has recently been launched in BC to support small businesses in recovering expenses due to property damage, crime and vandalism, and to recoup expenses related to crime prevention. At the municipal level, businesses adjacent to shelter facilities fear the effects on their property value and uncertainty for the safety of their employees and customers. We urge the City to explore the possibility of providing a tax subsidy for the duration of the temporary shelter contract to surrounding commercial property owners.

• Create a Community Advisory Board
  We urge that the appointed operator of any shelter facility must engage in an Advisory Board consisting of diverse stakeholders. This Board will comprise representatives from local business associations and Business Improvement Districts, essential City service representatives including fire and police services, City Councillors, and Provincial representatives. The operator's participation guarantees firsthand insights into operational needs while serving as a direct channel for local businesses and community members to address arising concerns. We believe that convening all pertinent stakeholders will foster a more robust and effective connection to the community, ensuring the facility operates smoothly with minimal impact on the surrounding area.