Canora Place: a new home for the homeless

By Katrine Sorensen

CANORA — A newly opened apartment complex gives previously homeless people roof over their heads and the foundation for a fresh start.

Canora Place stands three-storeys high with a bright, colourful exterior. The building will offer 30 apartments for prices about 20 per cent below market price.

The apartments resulted from a partnership between Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre, an outreach centre on Stony Plain Road for homeless people, and Homeward Trust Edmonton.

Scotti Coles, executive director of Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre, has been one of the driving forces behind the opening of Canora Place. He is alight with enthusiasm about offering homeless people the dignity of a decent home.

“When you take a person who has been sleeping on a mat off and on for 10 years, this is going to be like a palace to them,” Coles said.

The residents get the choice of one of the 15 bachelor suites, 14 one-bedroom suites and a two-bedroom unit. Then they will pick out their own furniture from a furniture bank.

Housing First

Canora Place will have on-site support from volunteers and workers that will help the residents through the transition into a new life off the street.

“These clients will be seen – a lot. They’ll be valued and lead through empowerment,” Coles said.

The building is a part of a Housing First model, adapted from the U.S., where housing is considered a necessity before a homeless person can deal with any other issues, such as drug addiction or mental illness.

Kyle Soroka, who will be in charge of running Canora Place, says a personal connection is vital when helping people. Although he or the other staff at Canora Place may not have any official training, Soroka says being a friend is just as important for the resident.

“We’re by no means doctors, but we’re friends and we can be accepting,” Soroka said.

The first residents at Canora Place will be ready to move in around April 1. But Coles stresses that he and Soroka are in no hurry to fill the apartments: getting the right tenants is more important than doing it fast.

The Residents

Residents will partly come from government referrals and through Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre. Prospective residents are defined as chronically homeless.

Coles say the residents at Canora Place must also have some level of independence: they must be able to use the bathroom by themselves and turn off the water and stove after use.

The personal connection is so important for Coles and Soroka that they will get to know every potential resident. They will be friends, after all.

“This place so much to us, we want people, you know, where it means a lot to them as well,” Soroka said.

Accountability is especially important for the residents when considering the neighbourhood, Coles said. Although residents in the neighbourhood have expressed concerns about crime, Coles hopes to prove them wrong.

Alberta’s plan to end homelessness

Canora Place is funded jointly by Government of Alberta, Homeward Trust and other community partners.

The apartment building is just one step in the right direction for the province’s 10-year plan to end homelessness by 2019.

If it were up to Coles, Canora Place would only be one of many similar facilities in the city. Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre already has another apartment building in the works at Terwillegar, but they are awaiting results from Canora Place before they go ahead with a new facility.

Stepping into dignity

At the grand opening on March 24, many guests expressed surprise at the attractive and spacious apartments. In a speech, Jonathan Denis, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, were joking that the apartments are much nicer than his first home.

Coles said the apartments are meant to induce a feeling a pride and commitment in their residents. Quality over quantity was a major factor when selecting designs for Canora Place.

“When you look at one of these apartments, you’re stepping into dignity. You’re being dignified,” Coles said.