For many who put themselves in the line of fire for their fellow Canadians, their lives get much harder after returning from the battlefield. But a new facility set to open in Edmonton is hoping to reverse this tragedy.
Building on the experience establishing an independent living facility in Ottawa which has operated for five years, Veterans’ House will feature 40 suites for those who served but now find themselves coping with homelessness.
Featuring fully accessible suites, shared laundry and a community garden, the project aims to help Canada’s bravest reclaim control of their lives, though the people spearheading the project are under no illusions they’re only able to scratch the surface of the problem.
“Canadian veterans make up one per cent of Canada’s population, but five per cent of the homeless population — here in Alberta it’s seven per cent,” said operations manager Trevor Friesen, who added his organization estimates upwards of 5,000 veterans are combating homelessness across Canada.
Friesen noted the average age of tenants in the Ottawa facility is between 60 and 70 years old. He added many of the people Veterans’ House hopes to help returned to civilian life before mental-health issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) were taken seriously. Paired with the experiences of a deployment in the Balkans, Somalia or Rwanda and you have a recipe for a full-on breakdown. Even Canada’s top general during the Rwanda Peacekeeping Mission, Lieutenant-General Roméo Dallaire, struggled with mental-health issues following his deployment.
With few mental health supports available added to the fear of attached stigmas, Friesen said a lot of veterans would self medicate with alcohol or other substances to ease the pain, which exacerbated their problems further until they ended up homeless.
Things have improved for soldiers transitioning to civilian life in the past few decades, noted Friesen, with a dedicated unit now established to help soldiers access the supports they need for their post-military lives. But that still leaves the thousands of veterans who have fallen through the previously unfilled cracks.
“By the time you get into your 60s and 70s, now you’re not able to work,” he said. “You have no other supports other than some of the government programs. If you don’t have a support network, you don’t have a family or all these other things that help you be in a community, you fall into those places where it’s really hard to live. That’s where this can help people out.”
Working with Civida, which specializes in affordable housing, the facility will offer suites at below market rate, currently capped around $900. Subsidies from a handful of veterans’ support groups will ensure no tenants are paying more than 30 per cent of their income on rent. If a tenant is only collecting $1,500 a month, that person’s out-of-pocket cost will cap at $500.
Veteran’s House is aiming to open its doors to veterans coping with homelessness shortly after Remembrance Day.
Veteran Support Manager Michael Schneider said the building is constructed to modern efficiency standards, with thick walls and features to keep utility and operating costs down. Each room has its own heat pump. The building is pet friendly, with a section cordoned off for people who have allergies. In the yard. a walkable meditation garden and dog park are complemented by a covered patio. Aside from resources to connect tenants to mental health, employment or other supports, the facility will also offer classes in cooking, gardening and life-skills.
“It’s to give a community for veterans,” said Schneider. “The Athlone community has been phenomenal. It’s just a fantastic relationship we have with the community league. Our goal is to get the residents in, so we can start working on whatever they need.
“Every need is very individual.”
Readers hoping to support the effort can participate in the next ‘Coldest Night of the Year’ fundraiser this February. Volunteer opportunities and ways to donate can be found through the Veterans’ House website.
Weather and logistics permitting, Veterans’ House hopes to open its doors shortly after Remembrance Day. Organizers are planning to build additional facilities in Halifax, Victoria and Toronto.
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