Taylor Clark
LJI Reporter
Devcore’s supervised camp of heated winter tents proved to have a positive impact on most of its campers, according to a social impact analysis by Centraide Outaouais.
Dubbed Camp Guertin, 56 individuals experiencing homelessness spent their winter in red heated tents in a supervised and fenced-in area of the parking lot adjacent to the Robert-Guertin Centre, where participants agreed to respect a code of living.
Before the emergency initiative wrapped up, Centraide Outaouais interviewed 25 campers to gain a better understanding of the social impact of the project.
The most common elements from the interviews were having a “roof,” sleeping with heat, and feeling secure. For some, the camp allowed the opportunity to “catch your breath” and “stay away from problems.”
Having guards and workers provided campers with a feeling of security and, above all, the ability to speak to someone when the need arose. Nearly 20 per cent of the respondents found the camp gave them tools to escape the episode of homelessness in which they found themselves.
While the 48 tents had a beneficial impact on a majority of participants, basic needs, such as access to showers on site and two meals per day, remained unmet. One should note showers were planned in the project but did not become a reality due to administrative reasons.
“Building on the momentum of this positive initiative, we must continue to support innovative solutions that have the agility to implement,” wrote Centraide Outaouais executive director Cédric Tessier.
Camp Guertin was not the only innovative solution Devcore has put forward. The company unveiled the proposed plans for Village Transition, a temporary and transitional solution composed of shipping containers that would house individuals for two to five years.
Under the proposal, Devcore hoped the City of Gatineau would lend land free of charge in the same parking lot where the red tents were erected and contribute to the necessary infrastructure.
The non-profit organization Transition Québec was expected to manage the Village and the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l’Outaouais (CISSSO) was also evaluating ways to support the project.
“Creating a safe, structured, and adapted environment to the needs of this population is essential to promote rehabilitation and social integration. This innovative project demonstrates the real potential for collaboration between various community stakeholders to support the most vulnerable people,” Jeneviève Caron, deputy director of the mental health and addiction programs at CISSSO wrote in a press release.
Plans for the Village consisted of around 60 containers and would accommodate up to 100 people. The exterior would include shared spaces like a dog park, a bike repair shop, storage spaces, a community garden as well as an arts and culture space. Operational amenities would include a sanitary block, and an intervention center offering permanent psychosocial support, along with two large communal kitchens to allow for cooking alone or in groups.
The Village was estimated to cost between $4 and $5 million. The containers or real estate assets would be owned by regional stakeholders like business people or organizations. These stakeholders could then buy shares or contribute through a guaranteed return loan.
Similar to the circumstances surrounding the heated tents, future residents will need to adhere to a code of conduct and be interested in “starting the process toward citizenship.” Tenants will be expected to pay a modest rent based on their income as well as the type of unit and level of involvement on the site.
“Village Transition is the logical continuation of the Guertin Camp, the first phase that protected 50 people from the elements this winter. With the Village, we are helping 100 people,” wrote Devcore’s founding president Jean-Pierre Poulin.
Photo caption: A rendering offers a glimpse of how Devcore’s Village Transition could come together in the parking lot adjacent to the Robert-Guertin Centre.
Photo credit: Devcore Facebook