Pilot project aimed at panhandlers in downtown Edmonton

Edmonton’s Downtown Business Association knows moving panhandlers along may free up the business zone but it doesn’t get street people the help they need.

“If you react by getting physical or calling the police, you’re only solving part of the problem in moving that person away,” said Jim Taylor, who is with the association. “You can turn it around and solve both problems by having someone who knows what they are doing, intervene.”

That person is Colin Inglis. He has been hired as an outreach worker for a one year pilot project that helps people on the streets access the services they need.
The project was started through a partnership between Boyle Street Community Services, Edmonton Downtown Association and the Edmonton Police Foundation
Taylor said one of the goals is to make the downtown area feel safer.

“Safety and security are always issues for a downtown area. There are some real issues but there are some perceptional safety and security issues that come from street people who are sitting on the sidewalk, they are drunk, they have mental health issues, or are panhandling,” he said.

“They aren’t going to hurt anyone but the general public has some concerns.”

Normally a business owner would call the police if a panhandler was bothering patrons, said Taylor. Now owners can contact Inglis directly.

Inglis starts each day at 7 a.m. with a backpack, a little bit of food, and a couple pairs of new socks.

He then hits Edmonton’s downtown streets to see who is in need of help.

“I start out walking the streets and alleys where people might be and the food courts. I hit those places and connect with people,” he said.

Inglis engages people in conversation. He then finds out what services they may need. Sometimes, it’s just a warm pair of socks. Other times he will take them to a doctor, an addictions counsellor, or a housing shelter.

Every downtown business has his business card and can call him if they see someone in need.

“We’re a big city and people get lost in the process or disconnected from family or community. We all have a responsibility to make sure people don’t get left behind,” said David Berger, executive director of Boyle Street Community Services.

Inglis agreed that it is the community’s responsibility to deal with people on the streets.

“We really need to embrace this as a community issue,” he said.

Inglis sees new faces every day and sometimes the scale of the problem can be overwhelming.

“I look at how I can support individuals and that’s much more optimistic,” he said.

All three organizations hope to gather statistics on the success of the project so it can be shared as a template for other cities looking for ways to deal with panhandlers.