'These people are desperate,' Summerside advocate says as calls for new shelter mount

Nearly a week after tents were removed and tarps taken down from encampments in Summerside, P.E.I., municipal officials and people facing homelessness in the city are renewing calls for the province to place a 24-hour low-barrier shelter in the area.

"We need everybody to stand up and say, 'Hey, enough, enough, enough,'" said Doug Rogers, a resident struggling to keep a roof over his head.

"Human lives matter and we're all human beings."

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There are shelter beds at Summerside's LifeHouse Emergency Shelter for women and children, and the new men's shelter on Winter Street. Another 10 transitional units are under construction.

But the current shelters are often operating at capacity. That has left people couch-surfing, putting up tents or being driven to Charlottetown to occupy an emergency overnight bed at the Park Street shelter. 

None are great options, said Elysha Whitlock, who helps distribute food and supplies to those in need.

Whitlock was one of the people trying to pick up the pieces after Summerside city staff approached people on Aug. 22 asking them to remove tents they were sleeping in from public parks, along with tarps being used to create shelters at city gazebos.

"Where would they like everybody to go?" she said.

"These people are desperate. They have nowhere. They don't feel like they belong anywhere. They literally just try to find somewhere safe to lay their heads at night to get some rest, to prepare for the next long day of just roaming."

"We have [the] LifeHouse shelter for women, but it's not a low-barrier shelter," said retired social worker Ivy Inkpen. "Women that are using [drugs] can't go into that shelter. So they're on the street."

Provincial housing staff are actively working with city staff and community partners to discuss options and determine what the specific needs for Summerside may be.— Provincial government email to CBC News

The estimated 60 people sleeping rough in Summerside are also having trouble finding something as simple as a shower. 

Some were using the ones at Credit Union Place, which were first made available after post-tropical storm Fiona knocked out water and power for many residents last year.

The city says it ended the program after power was restored, but Whitlock said those facing homelessness were using it until three weeks ago.

"It's not as easy as just opening the doors to any public facility wide open for anyone to come in and have a shower," said J.P. Desrosiers, deputy chief administrative officer for the City of Summerside. 

While pointing out that housing is a provincial responsibility, Desrosiers said the city is willing to do its part to support a 24-hour low-barrier shelter. 

"Our police services are suggesting that it's definitely in need," he said, adding: "We're continuing to request those supports in Summerside."

The topic is likely to come up on Wednesday at a meeting of Mayor Dan Kutcher's Task Force on Attainable Housing at Credit Union Place.

Nobody from the provincial Department of Social Development and Housing was made available for an interview.

But a spokesperson sent an email to CBC News on Friday, noting that Housing Minister Rob Lantz and senior staff met with Kutcher this summer to talk about the situation.

"Provincial housing staff are actively working with city staff and community partners to discuss options and determine what the specific needs for Summerside may be," the email added.