Social service organization launches campaign to encourage discussion about homeless shelters in Thunder Bay

An organization offering emergency relief and essential resources in Thunder Bay has launched a campaign it hopes will get people talking about homeless shelters in the city.

Shelter House Thunder Bay says the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) campaign supports the idea of opening new social services and supports in neighbourhoods for marginalized community members, particularly those experiencing homelessness.

Brendan Carlin, the organization's executive director, said in general, people are divided about building temporary shelters in the community.

"A lot of conversations have to happen," Carlin told CBC Thunder Bay.

"I think there is a lot of misconceptions about our population, our clientele and a lot of assumptions that are made in a lot of cases, and this campaign is aimed more at that."

He said the YIMBY campaign includes selling lawn and window signs for $20. Proceeds are reinvested into Shelter House's programming, according to a Facebook post from the organization.  

"If people see the sign and they think …that reminds me of Shelter House, I'm going to donate, great," Carlin said. 

"But really, it's about changing that conversation and saying there are people in our community who are hurting and are struggling and they're vulnerable and we need to find solutions. And whether that's a temporary pallet village or whether it's some other kind of solution, whatever it is, that's what we need."

Community lacks adequate housing, resident says

Thunder Bay resident and housing equity advocate Veronica Proper says she supports the campaign and has placed one of the signs in her yard.

"I believe very strongly in being able to take care of every member of our community, and that unless we take care of every member of our community, we can't really be all that healthy," Proper told CBC News.

"One of the things that our community is really lacking at this point in time is housing for people. There are a lot of barriers for people to get housed and to stay housed and I think that we can do better and that we need to do better. I think that this is one of the initiatives that's working to try and do just that."

Proper said Shelter House is doing "an incredible job" and they support a lot of people who have nowhere else to go "without anywhere near the resources that they need to do so effectively."