Two Calgary residents shelter from the rain at the Chinook transit station. Alysha, pictured closes to the camera, says she's been sleeping in a river valley camp and gets frustrated when peace officers on transit are constantly telling her to move on. She asked to use her first name only.
A new study suggests a lack of confidence in Calgary's homeless shelter system is what's actually behind the social disorder on trains and buses. Fears of rape, assault, disease and theft led to people choosing to sleeping rough and riding the rails rather than seeking help.Alysha, pictured left, seeks shelter from the rain at the Chinook transit station.
"It was uncomfortable to hear. But this was something that seems to be well known among those working on the front lines, on the stations — that people are genuinely afraid for their safety and they would prefer to sleep outside, frankly, or to not hang out there during the day." Starting last year, city council invested millions to hire more peace and security officers to improve the safety situation. Total ridership is now on track to recover by next year. Calgary Transit says its statistics show overdoses, vandalism and "non-destination" riders have decreased in the last year, suggesting the investment and their new partnerships with outreach organizations are working.
A police officer, describing a Calgary shelter, said: "You can't park in the parking lot. It looks like East Hastings, there's people just passed out everywhere. I'm like, that lady might be dead, but I need to go deal with something else." During the same time period, there were three reports from the Mustard Seed and three from Alpha House.
"Like every shelter operator, we take any allegation of violence very seriously and are committed to providing a safe environment," she said. "Safety measures in place to reduce risks are continually reviewed."The researchers also interviewed 16 people staying at the Drop-In Centre and the Mustard Seed. The shelter users had mixed opinions on the way peace officers interacted with people who looked rough, with some commending the officers on their respectful approach.
She's 29, has been homeless for 10 months, doesn't use shelters and said it's obvious why people in her situation cause a disturbance.
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