Homeless in Canmore: Living rough and fighting off wildlife
Finding shelter space critical as more homeless people seek a warm bed in Bow Valley
Cody says it's been three months since he set up camp and started sleeping in the woods in Canmore, the mountain town about 100 kilometres west of Calgary.
His unsanctioned, illegal campsite includes a couple of wooden pallets that form the base of his outdoor bed in the dense woods not far from Main Street.
It sits next to a towering tree, underneath several large branches. There's a thin piece of foam, an old seat cushion, blankets and a tarp that is meant to keep him warm and dry.
"It rained last night. That wasn't fun," he said outside a downtown coffee shop and yoga studio.
CBC News has agreed not to use Cody's last name. He fears he could be charged with illegal camping and his possessions and campsite confiscated.
He jokes that his address is 1 Pine Tree Lane.
Cody estimates there are many more people sleeping rough in a community where the average home price has surpassed $1 million. Rent for a one-bedroom place with a shared kitchen and bathroom ranges from $800 to $1,100 per month.
"I could have saved up a damage deposit and first month's rent, but I didn't quite have that luxury. So I figured, let's give this a try, just go out in the bush," he said.
As cooler temperatures set in, the 44-year-old doubts he'll be able to sleep outside much longer. He's already fought off a coyote, and the prospect of battling freezing temperatures is not appealing.
The coyote incident happened late at night. He says it came too close to his campsite, so he grabbed a sharpened stick he has for cooking hotdogs and used it as a weapon.
"I didn't think I'd ever have to use it but grabbed it and stabbed him. [The coyote] yelped and ran off," he said.
"I got him in the shoulder."
Permanent, safe shelter needed
An emergency shelter that opened up last winter in a church and an outreach program that provided temporary accommodation for people when temperatures dipped below –20 C saw more people than the year before.
The two programs were open for nearly four months and provided shelter for 28 people who stayed a combined 366 bed nights.
The Homelessness Society of the Bow Valley (HSBV) says the need for emergency shelter and supports for people is "real and ongoing" and the "community would benefit" from a year-round program.
"In an ideal world, we would open year-round, but of course the program is funding-dependent," said Amber Forest, the society's director.
Forest says the pandemic affected a lot of people who may be struggling financially, not to mention rising prices for almost everything, which has impacted the cost of living. She suspects those are likely some of the reasons more people are looking for shelter, along with Canmore's notoriously high real estate and rental rates.
Forest estimates the society needs about $170,000 to run both programs again this winter.
It's not just money the society needs to run the programs, it's now scrambling to secure a new space for the emergency shelter that operated for nearly two months last winter.
Church closes shelter space
St. Michael's Anglican church in downtown Canmore opened its doors the past two winters to provide emergency shelter space for up to seven people each night.
There were some nights during the first year when not all of the cots were used. However, that's changed.
"The second year, we had times when there were more people than we could accommodate, and so we had to turn people away and send them to other places," said Howard Thornton, the church rector.
The church met last week and decided to end its involvement with the emergency shelter program.
"So we think the program has outgrown us, actually," said Thornton.
He says the cots were in one large room and provided no separation or privacy for men and women. Showers were not available, and the church could not provide a hot breakfast.
"We've come to the point where we realize this facility, while it worked really well for the first two years, it's maybe a little too small for the coming year," said Thornton.
Searching for shelter
The town has launched a search for a new shelter space and hopes to find something by Dec. 1.
The mayor says it's been a struggle in the community for years with a lack of affordable housing. He says it means some people are couch surfing, sleeping in their vehicles or in the bush.
"As a council, we're charged with looking after the best interests of the community as a whole, and the whole means everyone," said Sean Krausert.
"Honestly, the alternative is just not palatable," he said.
"If the community isn't able to step up, and by the community I mean including the town, the only options available are basically to give people a ticket to go to Calgary, and that doesn't necessarily meet their needs."
Krausert says that while the number of people looking for accommodation during the cold winter months is only five or six per night, he feels it's the town's responsibility to help.
The local homeless society is working alongside the town. It's also trying to find a suitable location.
Forest says the ideal space would provide more privacy for people, independent bathroom and shower stalls and a kitchen where meals and snacks could be prepared. She says an area where programs could be run or a private space where clients and staff could "decompress" would be ideal.
Forest says it's difficult to hear stories about Cody and others who are sleeping outside.
"It's extremely unfortunate. It should never have to happen. Everyone should have access to a safe warm night, no matter what the situation," she said.
Cody says he knows he is not the only one sleeping rough.
"I've seen at least eight different camps, maybe 10, and I would say that's just the tip of the iceberg," he said.
He hopes his situation changes soon.
He has a job interview this week for one of six positions he's applied for at a hotel in Banff. Along with his paycheque, he says the job would include staff housing.
"That's really what I'm prioritizing because I don't want to be staying out on the streets," he said.
Bryan Labby is an enterprise reporter with CBC Calgary. If you have a good story idea or tip, you can reach him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @CBCBryan.
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