N.W.T. gov't using modular units for temporary day shelter

The N.W.T. government has declared a state of emergency to establish a temporary day shelter at the site of a former visitors centre in Yellowknife, using modular buildings from the Tłı̨chǫ Highway construction project. 

The shelter is expected to open at the end of November, said Health Minister Julie Green during a press conference on Friday afternoon. "It's about helping those in our community that are in need by ensuring they have a safe and warm place to go," she said.

"Most people in need of shelter have either attended residential schools or have been impacted by intergenerational trauma," said Green, adding that there's a duty to respond to the impacts of "systemic racism."

Green said modular buildings from the all-season road project were not on the table until after city council rejected the territorial government's plan to turn 4709 Franklin Ave. into a temporary day shelter for three years. Following opposition to that location, Kavanaugh Waste Management reached out to the territory to say the structures would be up for grabs. 

The N.W.T. government will not appeal city council's decision about the location on Franklin Ave., said Green, because "the person who wanted to rent the legion building to us wasn't interested in waiting for up to three months for a decision on whether we would rent it from him."

She said appealing and establishing a facility there, eventually, was no longer an option.

Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Shane Thompson said the government would use its emergency powers to secure the location, which used to be home to the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre. The structure was demolished in 2020, three years after it was shuttered because of structural issues attributed to shifting permafrost.

Thompson's declaration comes into effect on Tuesday, to address what he called an "urgent need for additional space" to house vulnerable and unsheltered people. 

"Declaring a state of emergency is a necessary step," he said, adding that the government didn't make the decision lightly and that "all other options" were considered. 

Capacity and accessibility

The territory's health and social services department said about 100 people use Yellowknife's shelter services. 

Sara Chorostkowski, the department's director of mental wellness and addictions recovery, said they're in contact with some people who have been setting up tents and making shelters out of tarps as winter approaches. 

Officials said the modular buildings would have the capacity for up to 25 people under current pandemic restrictions, while the proposed location on Franklin Ave. would have had space for up to 50 people. 

The buildings will also be fitted with accessible ramps to accommodate clients with mobility needs.

Green said the government is "trying to create allies" with the public, by communicating that providing shelter is "an act of reconciliation."

She said there's still a "disconnect" between Yellowknife residents and vulnerable people, and that some don't recognize a shelter is an essential service that needs to be downtown. 

The territory has plans to build a new, permanent shelter in 2024.