Shelters prepare for return of underhoused population in Yellowknife

Tony Brushett, the executive director of the Salvation Army in Yellowknife, said he's "fairly confident" that his organization has made contact with the 120-or-so individuals that use the shelter regularly. 

Brushett said most of Yellowknife's underhoused population was evacuated to Calgary and were connected with shelters and other services in the city for the past three weeks. 

Still, some went to Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta., among other locations. 

"We work with folks there," he said. "Again, we are fairly confident we have contacted most of them." 

In Calgary, most people went to the city's Centre of Hope shelter and were registered there with staff. 

Otherwise, Brushett said staff kept tabs on shelter users by walking the streets. 

"They've met a lot of our clients," he said. 

With the services provided during the evacuation, Brushett said, "we feel it went as well as it could have gone for anybody who's already in a vulnerable state of mind." 

He and other staff returned to Yellowknife earlier this week in preparation for the city to reopen to residents on Wednesday. 

"We still have a team sitting in Calgary. They're working with the emergency folks here to ensure that our people are coming back as much as possible in groups on the flights," said Brushett. 

"We'll be given a heads up of when the flight is arriving here. So they're traveling with staff, and when they get here, we will have individuals here ready to pick them up." 

Brushett has also heard some clients may not return. 

"They liked the big city and they're going to stay," he said. "We certainly tried to educate them a little bit on the very vast differences in a city like Calgary and a city like Yellowknife … We try to make sure they're making the best educated decision that they can make." 

Early in the evacuation, health care workers and advocates were concerned about its effect on those recovering from drug addiction — both if it interrupted their access to medication or now having greater access to drugs. 

Brushett acknowledged the possibility of more access, but doesn't "think it's a huge piece" of why some clients may stay behind.  

He said most staff have made it back to the shelter in Yellowknife and it's ready to open its doors Thursday night. 

"We are where we need to be when these folks start to fly in," he said. "We will be ready for them."