The Northwest Territories government’s new framework for responding to homeless encampments ignores what those living in them need most: housing.
That’s the assessment of Peter Adourian, the lawyer representing residents of an encampment in Yellowknife.
“I think encampments are a stain on our society and the only alternative is to get people housed,” Adourian said. “This document does not give us a path forward to getting people housed.”
The territorial government’s five-page framework, released last week, outlines which governments, departments and agencies are responsible for various roles at the encampment.
For example, the document says the RCMP is not to lead outreach and should only respond to emergencies or court orders at the site. Housing N.W.T. is to “coordinate [the] Coordinated Encampment Response Team” and act as the government’s main point of contact.
But the framework is short on details about what services are actually available to people living in encampments.