[Greenspace]

Here is the decision - https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abesdab/doc/2022/2022abesdab10136/2022abesdab10136.html

Boyle Street argued for a DP with 'Community Services' use accessory to 'Professional, Financial and Office Service Uses'. SDAB disagreed with this, Community Services being a primary use by Boyle Street [539]. There was one variance by the board did not feel it needed to respond to it. The decision is quite lengthy but basically Boyle Street should have applied for a change of use. Because they applied for a permitted use but had a variance they opened themselves up to appeal anyways (Class B).

 

[cmd uw]

Here is the decision - https://www.canlii.org/en/ab/abesdab/doc/2022/2022abesdab10136/2022abesdab10136.html

Boyle Street argued for a DP with 'Community Services' use accessory to 'Professional, Financial and Office Service Uses'. SDAB disagreed with this, Community Services being a primary use by Boyle Street [539]. There was one variance by the board did not feel it needed to respond to it. The decision is quite lengthy but basically Boyle Street should have applied for a change of use. Because they applied for a permitted use but had a variance they opened themselves up to appeal anyways (Class B).

To be clear, it was the City that advised the applicant that 'Community Services' was an 'accessory' use to Professional, Financial and Office and Health Services uses which were being applied for with the application. The Board felt that those uses were not appropriate given the type of activities that would be taking place within the building.

 

[Whattagame]

How is it short sighted? China town has had to deal with this population for 4 decades with no sight for any improvements while paying their full taxes. The same people that use this agency are seen in the Abbotsfield area. I invite you all for a tour from the mall to Coliseum station where every bust shelter is smashed then observe all the smash store front windows as you pass by. From 50st- 118ave, you'll find even more smashed bus shelters up to Superstore. I get some have mental setbacks, but many are substance abusers that are constantly trying to find a way to scam the system.

^This post is quite devoid of empathy, and also does nothing to counter the claim of short-sightedness.

 

[kcantor]

^This post is quite devoid of empathy, and also does nothing to counter the claim of short-sightedness.

i’m not sure the post is devoid of empathy as much as it is a reflection of the 40 years of the negligence and neglect for those living in the area whether on the street or in their homes.

i remember having to go to court more than 20 years ago with a friend who was trying to have a meth lab/dealer evicted from a social housing project where the other tenants were pretty. i saw the same things happen in in the macdonald’s consolidated building lofts and dwayne’s home and continue to see evidence of it in numerous other places.

i have a friend in macaulay who needed the tactical unit to remove someone who broke into basement and wouldn’t leave.

i have elderly friend in macaulay whose home was broken into and had her tenant - an aish recipient - terrorized.

i have friends who no longer jog on some of the multi use trails because of needles and other debris.

i know businesses trying to cope with pop-up tents and open drug dealing and fires in doorways for drug use and needless graffiti and broken windows and squatters and cancelled insurance coverage…

i know a construction site where they didn’t just experience vandalism and theft, they had large sections of the site fencing that was put up to prevent that stolen.

and these are not isolated instances, they go on day after day after day after day…

so yes, empathy is important but after 40 years where is the empathy for Clearshades and his neighbours? it is not shortsightedness on their part that created this.

 

[Aaron_Lloyd]

^This post is quite devoid of empathy, and also does nothing to counter the claim of short-sightedness.

How on Earth is it 'devoid of empathy' to suggest we spread out the burden of hosting these services? I'm genuinely confused by your post.

 

[Whattagame]

How on Earth is it 'devoid of empathy' to suggest we spread out the burden of hosting these services? I'm genuinely confused by your post.

"I get some have mental setbacks, but many are substance abusers that are constantly trying to find a way to scam the system."

This sentence is a common way to disregard and discard those suffering from addiction. Perhaps I'm misinterpreting the post, but it sure reads like a lot of people on the street are undeserving of the benevolence of the normies.

 

[Stevey_G]

Solving homelessness in Alberta is a generational challenge that is going to take us decades if we begin to tackle it right now and it's going to take a multi-faceted approach at targetting the triggers:

• A majority of the homeless population is represented by Natives, approximately 48%. The fact that a visible minority utterly dominates the numbers in this way lead me to believe that it has to do with all of the different traumas associated with the colonization of N.A., the residential schools, and the general loss of home felt by this group over the past century.
• Edmonton is a migrational centre for the homeless and mentally ill. It is seldom discussed, but many communities who do not have the ability, funding, or general want to take care of their local homeless will often bus the problem to Edmonton. The homeless themselves will come to Edmonton because that is where the resources they need are
• Transitional homelessness is a thing too. Approximately - 8 to 9000 people experience transitional homeless due to loss of job or housing affordability issues. Fun fact, I was one of these people when I was out of work and couldn't afford the mortgage, fees, and taxes on the condo I lived in. I was forced to rent it out and live in my work truck doing deployment work for nearly 2 years. I built up enough capital to go back to school and eventually landed a 180k a year job, but I personally experienced the lack of resources and support these people face. You really are on your own to fix your shit.
• Mental health, drug addiction, and traumas - often a mixture of the three that compound on thenselves whilst living on the street.

Takeaways

• Foster and encourage mutual economic development with indigenous communities across the province. Help build out their social and economic infrastructure and help make these communities self-sustaining. Funding for many communities must be subject to accountability on the allocation of resource investment. It's no secret there is corruption within many communities leadership groups and protections must be put in place against misappropriation of funds.
• Build out small scale, decentralized support services across the towns and cities of the province. This will require investment and direction from all three levels of government. For homeless with greater special needs, see that they get moved to a facility that can properly tend to and treat their needs.
• Make it a crime to relocate your homeless without briefing the city of your intentions. The relocation if approved, required a brief assessment of the person's needs and where they will be dropped off - higher needs require being brought to a facility for further assessment
• DROP - HOUSING - COSTS. Ban Airbnbs, tax breaks on secondary suites, facilitate laws that force REITs and wealthy families to sell off their assets and cap the amount of land (non agricultural) that a single family, corporation, or trust can own. Facilitate a provincial carbon tax that is rebated to Canadians at tax time to offset their increased utility costs experienced over the past several years. Look at overhauling the insurance system. Increase the corporate tax rate and institute a municipal sales tax of 1% to pay for homeless housing initiatives.
• Improved short term transitional housing accomodations. This one's for the victims of abuse leaving their partners, those who lose their homes suddenly, and loss of employment. This program needs to be swift, and requires a letter from a former employer, police officer, etc. Funding is immediate but also capped as 1000 dollars to provide one weeks worth of hotel or one month of short term rental.
• Hospitalization. This one's touchy, but if someone one the street is exhibiting signs of schizophrenia, we need to start looking at them as a dependent of society. I'm not talking about revisiting asylums, but basically building facilities where they can be taken to, observed, and given the treatment they need. In some cases, long term hospitalization and treatment may be required for their good and for the good of society. Said facility should be built with HEAVY consultation from neuroscientists, psychologists, and therapists for the comfort and well being of the patient.

Get going Alberta, some of things will be heavily criticized, but I think we're at a turning point in our society regarding the proper allocation of money and resources, doing these things would be a show that we are no longer looking out for the welfare of the mega wealthy and businesses, but for the people.

 

[Whattagame]

• Build out small scale, decentralized support services across the towns and cities of the province. This will require investment and direction from all three levels of government.

Thankfully we have provincial leadership that will get right on that, right after they're done shutting down children's hospice care.

 

[Stevey_G]

Thankfully we have provincial leadership that will get right on that, right after they're done shutting down children's hospice care.

Yeah…I tend to think of myself as a right leaning centrist and a bit of a pragmatist myself. But I could never get behind that Frankenstein party Alberta voted in. I wish the NDP got another chance because they really caught me off guard with how sensibly they ran the province during lean years. I thought they needed more time to see their big ideas not get crushed and come to fruition.

But we reap what we sew. Maybe Albertans have finally had enough of corporate handouts to profitable corporations, maybe people are now a bit more concerned about their water quality then they are consumed by fear mongering and emotional voting.

 

[Gronk!]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1638243161700196355

 

[Gronk!]

'It's a beautiful space': Boyle Street secures permit for new location, despite community outcry

After having its development permit revoked amid public backlash, the leader of Boyle Street Community Services says the agency has a green light to move to a better building.

edmonton.ctvnews.ca

Boyle Street Community Services moves forward with downtown support centre - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca

The centre can now move forward with it's construction phase after receiving development permits and reaching 80 per cent of the project's funding goal.

globalnews.ca

 

[IanO]

Inevitable and hopefully an improvement for all involved.

 

[Edmcowboy11]

Well I hope that this new center will be a positive and I will be curious to see what happens in the former location. Will we see new development for ice district north sooner than later?

 

[MacLac]

As in “break ground” on the Village the second the new facility opens in conjunction with Boyles date with a wrecking ball…..yes please

 

[David A]

'It's a beautiful space': Boyle Street secures permit for new location, despite community outcry

After having its development permit revoked amid public backlash, the leader of Boyle Street Community Services says the agency has a green light to move to a better building.

edmonton.ctvnews.ca

Boyle Street Community Services moves forward with downtown support centre - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca

The centre can now move forward with it's construction phase after receiving development permits and reaching 80 per cent of the project's funding goal.

globalnews.ca

Finally good sense seems to be prevailing.