A Prince Albert city councillor says all options to prevent homeless people from freezing to death in winter should be explored – including so-called ‘wet houses’ where people would be allowed to drink.
This winter at least three people, possibly four, have died of exposure in Prince Albert.
Rick Orr says every avenue should be explored to prevent these tragedies from happening again.
He says some provincial cities, particularly in B.C., provide shelters where alcohol is allowed.
“So one of the suggestions in some communities is that they have a place where they live and they have the basic essentials that they need and they’re allowed to have an area, normally it’s outside, where they can smoke and drink and they are provided the shelter to do that,” he says.
He adds another strategy involves the use of churches and other city centres where people are allowed to come in out of the cold, even if they are impaired.
Regardless, Orr says a study should be done on these and other models.