City councillors to recommend more services and enforcement at Yellowknife encampment

CBC5 hours ago

Yellowknife city councillors say the city will use its limited toolbox to balance social services with public safety when it comes to an encampment of unhoused residents in the city's downtown.
At a governance and priorities meeting Monday, councillors discussed a resolution expected to pass at Monday night's council meeting related to an encampment of unhoused residents in an alley near the downtown liquor store, which was set up several weeks ago. The resolution acknowledges that all residents deserve to feel safe in the community and commits to supporting the territorial government, which has broader powers when it comes to housing, health and social services.
Mayor Ben Hendricksen brought forward the resolution, which he says reflects what the city is responsible for, has the funding for, and expects from the territorial government.
"A bit of a stake in the ground as council of where our heads are at around encampments, serving people who are under-housed and unhoused and working collaboratively with the [Government of the Northwest Territories]," he said.
The resolution, if passed, would direct the city's staff to make recommendations on amending existing Yellowknife bylaws or creating new ones to address any "unacceptable behaviour" at the encampment.
It recommends that the territory ensure there is access to basic needs, such as porta-potties, potable water and other necessities. It commits to supporting the encampment residents' health and safety by providing solid waste and sewage collection, but it said that would have to be at the request of the N.W.T. government and on its dime.
The resolution also recommends RCMP increases its foot and bike presence downtown, and commits the city's municipal enforcement division to be visible and for bylaw officers to focus on "ensuring a safe environment for all."
The N.W.T. government acknowledged the encampment in a news release last month, and said it was working with shelters to monitor capacity and needs. It said it was focusing on "delivering wraparound supports, increasing transitional housing options, and working with community partners to build long-term, person-centered solutions."
Coun. Rob Warburton said council often speaks to the importance of investing in mental health services, shelters, housing and other services that address the root causes of addiction, homelessness and poverty. He said he appreciates how the resolution balances that with enforcing public safety.
"Strong enforcement doesn't mean criminalizing poverty or punishing vulnerable people," he said. "It means setting boundaries to protect everybody, especially the vulnerable. [It] means ensuring that our parks are safe for families, business owners can operate without getting vandalized every day, and people struggling with actual addiction, mental illness, actually get the help they need because it's safe to do so.
"It's not a contraction to say that we need enforcement. It's a necessity."
It's not the first time Yellowknife's unhoused have set up encampments in the city. In 2024, dozens of people set up in lots across the capital. The City of Yellowknife took on sanitation services and garbage removal, at the territory's cost, similar to what's being proposed in Monday's resolution.
City manager Stephen Van Dine said that situation has given staff a template to work from. He reminded councillors to always consider the city's resources and what is the municipality's responsibility.