Edson pilot project shines light on homelessness in rural Alberta

Edson and District Recycling Society (Source: Facebook)

A pilot project involving a handful of pod-style shelters at an Edson recycling centre have been in high demand this winter, putting a spotlight on the issue of homelessness in rural Alberta.

Anne Aurait, manager of the Edson and District Recycling Society, said in the fall of 2020 she noticed there was an increase in the number of people sleeping in odd places like shredded paper recycling bins. A group of community members got together to come up with a solution.

"What's a very minimalist sort of program that we could look at that has low operation cost and maintenance cost, but then can provide a service?" they asked.

The group decided to convert a drop-off area at the depot into five pods that are 40 square feet.

"It was reusing an area, so it was part of those Rs – reduce, reuse – and looking at recycling a portion that we didn't need as far as a space," said Aurait.

The pods at the Edson and District Recycling Society have been used more than 300 times by 40 different people since the pilot project started in June 2021.

COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION

The operation of the pods is a collaboration between the depot and Reflections, a drop-in centre for adults with mental health issues. The centre offers meals and a safe place for people in the community to get daily support.

"In small rural Alberta, there's a lot of collaboration and communication," said Aurait.

Reflections Coordinator Michelle Hickie says the pods have made a huge difference to the amount of cold weather-related injuries she's seen this year. Last year, she took people with frostbitten fingers to hospital.

"This year, I haven't had very many at all," Hickie said.

The pods are heated and come with a place to sleep, access to a heated outdoor bathroom and a needle disposal bin. Each room is also equipped with a smoke detector and motion sensor.

Pod doors are monitored with security cameras, and every pod has a keypad with access codes that change each day. Aurait said it's to track if damage has been done to the pod, but also gives people more freedom to show up any time after the pods open at 8 p.m.

The pods are assigned each day at Reflections. Previously, people would line up at the depot as early as 4 p.m. in the hopes of getting a spot.

Each pod is designed for one person, but with the recent deep freeze Aurait says each pod often has two people sleeping inside.

"We just don't want to see someone frozen outside," she said.

The pilot program has been well received by the homeless community since it started last year, Aurait believes.

"They wish they were in their own apartment or own house, but that's just not feasible at the moment, so they're very happy, a lot of people [are] very thankful that they have a spot to be," said Aurait.

She says the community response has been amazing, people have been donating blankets, and winter clothing continuously since the pods opened.

THE NEXT STEP

A part-time homeless coordinator is being hired at Reflections with provincial funding for the next three months to help with next steps of the pilot program, whether that be more pods, transitional housing or more outside help for clients with more challenging needs.

"There's definitely a need, definitely in rural Alberta," said Aurait. "No one has the key to how to solve this."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Brandon Lynch