LAC LA BICHE - Lac La Biche’s new transitional housing facility, which opened its doors last January, has seen an increase in clients accessing the shelter.
The facility is run by the Lakeland Out of The Elements Shelter Society (LOESS) and is comprised of five camp trailers on seven acres of fenced, municipally owned property near Alexander Hamilton Park. Prior to the current shelter opening, it operated as a one-room shelter in a residential neighbourhood in Lac La Biche.
According to Lenora Lemay, board chair for LOESS, the new location has enabled the community organization to assist more clientele.
“Being able to accommodate more individuals on both the mat and transitional side means more individuals have begun to work toward moving into independent housing, using a housing first approach,” Lemay told Lakeland This Week.
In 2024, LOESS served almost 9,000 meals and the number of participants accessing the shelter daily has increased, with an average of 17 people using the overnight mat program.
During the last quarter of 2024, LOESS shifted its way of practice to a harm reduction and person-centred approach. This, Lemay said, has made the transitional housing facility more welcoming to individuals that previously would not access the shelter.
The transitional housing facility has also seen an increase in clients during periods of extreme cold temperatures through the winter months.
“We believe some of this increase can be attributed to having two staff members taking on outreach duties, to engage with individuals on the street, as we search for stable funding to properly fund an outreach program,” Lemay stated.
Currently, LOESS is working with community partners such as Alberta Health Services (AHS), Lac La Biche County Protective Services and the RCMP to assist clients with life skills and employment opportunities.
Additionally, LOESS has three staff dedicated to providing system navigation to assist program participants in such areas as getting identification documents, accessing medical services, applying for income support, and completing treatment applications.
“Staff have been also focusing on working with program participants to increase their social capacity and work on life skills, so they are able to successfully transition into independent living,” she stated.
Over the past few months, LOESS has worked on outreach efforts with Lac La Biche County Protective Services to reach out to individuals living in homeless encampments in the municipality in a bid to get them to access services at the shelter.
According to Lemay, through this initiative, the number of encampments has decreased, while there has been an increase in the number of referrals LOESS staff are sending to treatment facilities and detox centres.
While these efforts have been effective, Lemay said they have not solved the encampment issue entirely.
“We need to discuss, as a community, how we can support individuals in finding appropriate housing so that they do not get stuck living on a mat at the shelter or further into the bush where they cannot get the help they need,” she said. “We are confident that together we can find a solution for all residents, businesses and visitors.”
