In August, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB), and partnering community organizations — including Alberta Health Services and the RCMP — peacefully transitioned 29 people from a downtown encampment into housing and other long-term accommodations.
The visible encampment became a matter of public concern and safety. Complaints were made frequently in July by downtown businesses, residents and groups working with the occupants. The RMWB and partnering organizations relocated people to safe environments, ensuring they had access to support services through housing options and appropriate programs to meet their needs.
Rather than turning to enforcement, RMWB and its partner organizations (The Centre of Hope, The Salvation Army, The YMCA of Northern Alberta, and Wood Buffalo Wellness Society) worked with residents in the encampment throughout the entire relocation process. Their approach was focused on providing housing, services and supports.
The approach in Fort McMurray, built on the back of a strong Coordinated Access System and By-Name List, can serve as a template for other communities across Canada looking to resolve encampments and move people into appropriate housing.
Partnering organizations met almost daily with the RMWB to coordinate planning and ensure all known factors were considered. Collectively, the collaboration and support provided not only to the individuals but to one another as service providers was critical to the success of this effort. From the time the community came together to act, including the day of the move, it was only a two-week period. Before the residents were relocated, RMWB secured a service contract with Wood Buffalo Wellness Society to provide temporary housing with 24/7 support, in collaboration with other housing programs. Once the appropriate housing options were in place, a date was decided by all partners.
Those measures acted as a bridge for residents who later moved into appropriate programs, including treatment, Housing First, and an Indigenous-led supportive housing program, Tawâw, that opened in the winter. Options for housing were communicated to occupants in the encampment in advance, with daily reminders that the site would be closed on August 9 to prepare them for the transition
Ultimately, 18 encampment residents entered the bridge housing program. Six entered Housing First, two were housed in permanent supportive housing, and one person was given a bus ticket to re-connect with family in their home community. Two additional people were peacefully detained due to outstanding warrants and later connected with a case worker to access housing based on their individual needs.
