Dear editor,
405 Alexander St. has become a lightning rod for politicized and ideological debate that distracts us from what we all agree on: everyone deserves a place to call home. Our local shelters can be a part of ending homelessness in Whitehorse — but only if we shift how we think about their role.
Emergency shelters and their staff are a key part of the support system for people who are unhoused. But they are meant to be a temporary, last resort option for people who have no where else to go. When they aren’t designed or resourced to help people move into permanent and supportive housing, shelter stayers become stuck in homelessness.
That’s why a housing-focused approach is key. In shelters that use this model, every aspect of the work — from intake to daily support — is centred on helping guests find permanent housing. This includes support with identification, income, housing applications and connections to services people might need once they’re housed.
This approach works. At the Calgary Drop-In Centre, a shift to a housing-focused model helped 326 people move into housing in just one year. They increased case management for those experiencing long-term homelessness and provided early intervention for those who were newly unhoused to prevent them from getting lost in the system. At the Drop-In Centre, every staff member is responsible for instilling hope and creating a path toward housing for every guest they meet.
Here in Whitehorse, we are making progress, too. Through Coordinated Access, a process that connects people who are unhoused with housing and support, 15 shelter guests were housed in 2024. That’s 15 people who now have a safe place to sleep, eat and gather with loved ones.
The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition has been administering federal funding called Reaching Home since 2020. This funding is meant to drive an improved and more coordinated effort to reduce homelessness. A critical part of this work involves partnering with community organizations and all levels of government to renew our action plan to end homelessness. This plan will outline best practices and concrete recommendations for how we can use the resources we have to help more people into housing. It will be a tool for shared accountability and is set to be released summer 2025. Shelters are a key part of the plan.
We all deserve a place to call home. When we reimagine shelters not as the end of the road, but as a doorway to housing, we move closer to that goal — for everyone in the Yukon.
Sincerely,
Madeline Porter, Community Action Plan and Governance Coordinator
Kristina Craig, Executive Director
Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition
