Plight of homeless worsened by the pandemic

It’s jarring to look at photos of a front-end loader clearing out an encampment set up by people who are homeless.

Yes, precautions are taken: The landowner, in this case Ontario Power Generation, works with City of St. Catharines and Niagara Region outreach workers to be compassionate.

The people are given 10 days notice and the outreach workers return regularly to help them prepare to move. It’s done as nicely as possible. But where does a homeless person move to?

Governments across North America struggle with the question. And finding an answer has been made more complicated this year by the presence of COVID-19.

In the spring, the Out of the Cold program was forced to close early over concerns the virus could spread quickly among people sleeping in fairly close quarters. Then through the summer, many of the places they would normally spend parts of their days — libraries, coffee shops, community centres — were off limits, again to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Drop-in centres and meal programs that help people who are on the street or just in need, had to adapt, too, so large crowds didn’t congregate inside.

Groups in the community have done an admirable job in stepping up to find shelter for people who want it, and supplies and food for everyone who needs it. But with winter coming soon, the problem remains.

When Out of the Cold starts up again in a few weeks — adapted to keep people as socially distanced as possible, and with other anti-COVID measures in place — it will at least provide a place to sleep. But the days are long. If Niagara is unable to contain the growth of new coronavirus cases, it’s possible some sort of modified lockdown could be imposed similar to what happened earlier.

Sure, the provincial government wants to do it without hurting businesses too badly. It’s important to protect people’s jobs and their investment. But if the plan involves further limiting indoor gatherings, then people who are homeless will once again be out of luck and on the street.

But there are positives, too. Local government and community members continue to work to find permanent housing for those who need it, but it can be a difficult, sometimes expensive job.

In a few weeks, a program led by pastor Bill DeGuire called Outreach and Engagement in Homeless Services will start, aimed a preparing outreach workers and others who encounter homeless people through their work. And in downtown St. Catharines, the STEPs program at St. George’s Anglican Church works with young people from all across Niagara who are living on the street or struggling with mental health or addictions. Its goal is to help them find direction in their lives while they are still young.

And two other positive events happened this week. First, Niagara Region’s public health and social services committee supported plans to expand REACH Niagara, which offers primary medical care to people without a home. Second, a survey conducted by Niagara Region to collect public feedback on what the Region’s spending priorities should be found the majority of respondents favour more action to help homeless people.

Small steps, sure. But that’s how this issue will be sorted out.

We might refer to them as Niagara’s homeless community, but it’s a collection of individuals with different needs, abilities and life stories.

Not all of them want four walls and a roof over their head, either. But they are all members of our community, and each deserves the help they need to live safely in a way they choose.