Regina mayor calls special council meeting to address city hall homeless encampment
Alexander Quon | CBC News | Posted: July 27, 2023 12:07 AM | Last Updated: July 27, 2023
One woman has died at the encampment as a result of a suspected overdose
Regina city council will hold a rare special council meeting Thursday as it attempts to give direction to city administration on what to do about the homeless encampment outside city hall.
Mayor Sandra Masters called the special meeting while city council is in the middle of a month-long summer break. Under the province's Cities Act, Masters would have had to have a majority of council sign off on the plan.
The news of a special meeting was a shock to at least one person who volunteers at the camp.
Kale MacLellan admitted the city doesn't have an obligation to give the encampment or its volunteers a heads up, but said it would have been appreciated.
"There's tons of residents who are willing to share exactly what they need to be successful in transitioning out of the tents into shelters," she told CBC on Wednesday.
Since being established on June 15, the encampment outside city hall peaked at 83 tents on July 25, according to a report being presented to city council.
The number of residents at the camp fluctuates daily and hourly.
During the past two weeks, the city's count has ranged between 30 and 76 people.
The report also highlights there have been 20 suspected drug overdoses at the camp — one of which was fatal.
A vigil was held earlier this week for the woman who died, Elisa Tuckanow. The 27-year-old was a mother of four, who is being remembered for her love of beading.
Tuckanow was the first person to die at the encampment.
MacLellan said the focus on how many overdoses have occurred at the encampment misses the broader context of issues throughout the city.
"These numbers are not giving us the whole picture," MacLellan said. "We're in the middle of a serious drug toxicity crisis and these overdoses would be happening anywhere."
MacLellan added that volunteers make it known to the residents of the camp that naloxone is available if they want it.
Volunteers and residents who have previously spoken with CBC News have stressed the encampment is not creating a homelessness population but that people who would otherwise be spread throughout the city are choosing to stay at city hall because it is safer and because it is easier for them to access necessities such as food and water.
According to the city report, as the encampment has grown, so have the concerns from employees at Regina city hall.
The report notes that incidents of public urination and defecation have increased, as has the presence of discarded needles and general waste.
"We have had requests from staff and visitors for escort services to and from vehicles," the report said.
According to an internal survey carried out by city administration, 51 per cent of the 399 city staff members who responded said the encampment has "frequently" or "always" negatively impacted their physical or psychological safety at work.
Further, 51 per cent of the respondents said they have significantly modified or partially modified their routines and 46 per cent of respondents said they disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement: "I support the encampment on the city hall courtyard, and am willing to accept workplace related challenges as a result."
LISTEN | Campers, advocates want action on homelessness as encampment in front of Regina city hall grows
On Wednesday, the city received its first work refusal from park maintenance employees on the basis of "unusually dangerous conditions."
MacLellan said she does not want to dismiss the feelings of staff members at city hall.
She said interacting with homelessness "can be a very jarring experience" for those who are not familiar with it.
MacLellan stressed that getting rid of the encampment does not actually solve the issue of homelessness in Regina.
"They can tear these tents down and they can remove us all, but the problems still remain unless they put serious money, time and effort into addressing the problems that are facing us," she said.
The report goes on to say that the city has spent $55,000 since the camp was established on items such as security and maintenance and repair costs.
For each month the encampment continues, the city said it could cost between $40,000 and $70,000 a month.
Anyone interested in addressing council on the subject is asked to register with the city clerk's office by 11 a.m.
The meeting is set to begin at 2 p.m. Thursday.