The week ahead is National Housing Week, a time for people to become more aware of the lack of supportive, non-market housing available to those living on the margins of our society due to 30 years of government inaction in providing such housing.
As a ministry team member for Inner City Pastoral Ministry, I'm only too aware of many people who live on the streets of downtown Edmonton because they can't afford a home of their own. Shelter beds will never be an answer to the problem as I've noted many times in these moodlings. Unfortunately, the family of Alberta's Minister for Housing and Seniors started the first shelter in Edmonton, and he is so proud of that legacy, he can't see how terrible shelters are for the health and well-being of community members who are already living with trauma. He ignores the need for permanent homes for the homeless. Nor is our premier interested in solving the problem beyond hiring police and clean up crews to continually displace the tents and tarps of homeless people who have nowhere else to live.
If you share my concern about the lack of housing, which is a nation-wide problem, please consider supporting events going on across the country for National Housing Day -- the easiest way to find one is to use your internet browser, type in the name of your community along with National Housing Day 2024, and see what comes up.
Here in Edmonton, I'll save you the trouble of looking -- join me at the Alberta Legislature North Plaza at 1 p.m. Please, spread the word and bring friends! The program will be short and family friendly. The poster below holds all the key information. Hope to see you there!
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