Articles
Edmonton lagging behind on supports for abused women
Savannah Parker
Photo credit Marco Bianchetti on Unsplash
As COVID-19 took hold of our world, the much-needed discussion over mental health supports came to the forefront. Along with it, an ever growing concern that women may be experiencing higher rates of abuse due to increased isolation and stress.
https://globalnews.ca/news/7445971/domestic-violence-shadow-pandemic-edmonton/
While support for abused women and their children can come in a variety of forms such as counselling and legal supports, arguably the most important comes in the form of safe housing.
"They [women] need to find safe housing." says Linda Kelly, fund development manager of WINHouse. "They need to find a new place to go, so they don't return to the abuser."
WINHouse specializes in supports for abused women along with their children and animals. The organization operates two emergency shelters along with a second-stage shelter designed to help abused families make the transition back to independence.
According to the World Health Organization, "the overwhelming global burden of intimate partner violence is borne by women." A multi-country study conducted by WHO found that up to 75% of women reported experiencing abuse in their lifetime.
Alberta has the third highest rates of police-reported family and intimate partner violence in Canada according to data released by the provincial government. This trend outlines the need for emergency and secondary housing for abused women and their children.
"There's so many people who want help and are reaching for help," says Kelly. "The thing is that shelters only have so much space."
In addition to the strain experienced by emergency shelters, organizations that specialize in second-stage housing are also in need of more spaces.
"Edmonton has 2 second stage shelters. Calgary has 4 but my understanding is that encompasses quite a few more apartments," says Kathy Collins, executive director of Wings of Providence. "At Wings we have only 20 apartments."
At a population of a little under 1.5 million residents in comparison to Calgary's 1.6 million residents, the math simply doesn't add up. So why are there less housing supports for abused women in Edmonton?
The reason may come down to simple private donations made by wealthy individuals and corporations.
Although Women's shelters do receive funding from the municipal government, it is small in comparison to the funds seen from other levels of government. In speaking with representatives from the city's three biggest shelters, it appears that most shelters saw support from the municipal government in other ways, such as transit vouchers.
A bulk of funding received by shelters is from the provincial level, primarily in the form of grants. A small percentage of funding is from the federal government, with large amounts of income subsidized through memberships, fundraisers and individual donations.
While the plight of abused women has been an area of concern throughout the pandemic, it is not new. According to a Government of Canada report, "residential facilities for victims of abuse across Canada reported over 68,000 admissions in 2017-2018, the vast majority being women (60.3%) and their accompanying children (39.6%).
While physical supports are often strained due to high demand, representatives from the shelters assure that they make every effort to help those who need it, including putting up people in hotels when the shelters reach capacity. Additionally, many resources exist online to assist individuals who are experiencing abuse.
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If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
Forget nightclubs, Jasper Ave a haven for a different kind of wildlife
Savannah Parker
Photo by Uriel Soberanes on Unsplash
Jasper avenue is a busy metropolitan space which according to a city of Edmonton report from 2018 can see nearly 25,000 vehicles enter the area daily. While the high volume of traffic would make the average commuter leary, it certainly doesn't seem to deter wildlife from venturing into the area.
Downtown Edmonton has had wildlife stories make national news in the past. High-rise resident Ben Lavin had a mother goose lay her eggs in one of the planters on his balcony. In 2019 a lynx was spotted relaxing quietly beneath a tree on the Alberta legislature grounds.
The city of Edmonton is home to many species of wildlife including moose, deer, coyotes, porcupines, skunks and even the occasional cougar or bear.
According to a map provided by the Edmonton and Area Land Trust, Jasper avenue itself does not have any protected areas for wildlife, but there are protected areas that lead right into the busy area. Combined with the avenue's location so close to the river valley--a majority of which are protected lands--wildlife always has the potential to become problematic.
Monica Halstrom has been a resident of the Jasper Avenue area for nearly a decade. Halstrom says that while she has never personally had an encounter with any large animal, she has friends who have come across coyotes in the area.
"The coyotes didn't really react to my friends when they saw them but my friends did react and were like, 'yikes, let's get out of here'. They were definitely more scared than the coyotes were."
Jade Murphy of WILDNorth Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation says that calls to their wildlife hotline about coyotes are common, "We have a really healthy population of coyotes within the city. They are very well adapted to living in human areas. It is normal."
Peregrine falcons--which are endangered--have made their home atop buildings in the downtown area. The Alberta Conservation Association has installed a camera atop Bell Tower to monitor the activities of falcons that have nested there and the footage is available at https://www.ab-conservation.com/wildlife-cameras/peregrine/bell-tower-peregrine-camera/.
Murphy says that one of their most time-consuming projects is assisting geese that have nested atop highrises. "(It) puts them at a nice safe elevated area but the thing is that these buildings have lips around the edges that the mom goose can fly over but these babies are not able to get over the edges so our team goes in and just brings them down from the roof."
The downtown core is a busy area which can pose a variety of dangers for wildlife. Murphy says that the best thing you can do if you see an animal in distress is to call WILDNorth at 780-914-4118.
While city living is not ideal for wildlife, Halstrom is particularly fond of one creature she frequents in her walks to and from work, "The bunnies are so used to people. You can get so close to them. I can't get enough. They are just precious."
For black cats, finding a good home takes a lot more than luck
Savannah Parker
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Stanley, a black domestic shorthair cat, was once a small abandoned kitten rescued from a backyard wood pile. Photo Credit: Brenda Ramsay
“We didn’t choose him, he chose us.” Priscilla Riel says of the day she adopted Oscar, a black domestic shorthair cat, in 2017.
“One room was all black kitties, and the other room was a bunch that were all like tabby grey. My son went to the room with the black cats and I was with the tabbies, when my son comes running in, ‘Mom, I found a cat, I mean, a cat found me!’”
But not all people view black cats as good pets.
A 2014 Harris Poll showed that 1 out of 6 Americans believe that a black cat crossing their path is bad luck. This belief is likely tied to the remnants of the superstitions that European ancestors brought with them when they immigrated to America.
While ancient Egyptians believed that all cats were lucky, early European mythology saw black cats turned into dark omens. The idea that black cats were messengers for the devil was followed by the specific tale of what happens when a black cat crosses one’s path--certain death.
This is when black cats became associated with witchcraft. People believed that witches used black cats to not only carry out spells but that witches also had the ability to turn into black cats.
“You always hear that witches have black cats, which is fine, they could call me worse things,” says Riel.
While Riel actively sought out her black cat, Brenda Ramsay has owned 8 black cats over 30 years--six of which were a litter of kittens--all of which showed up right at her door.
“If they are hungry, I can’t not feed them,” says Ramsay of her tendency to feed the neighborhood strays. “I’ve never heard any negative comments about them being black...but I guess you don’t know what people really think.”
Nearly 20% of all cats admitted to shelters are black. Additionally, a 2002 study in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science showed that black cats are at least half as likely to be adopted than other colours of cats.
Similar studies have shown that black cats are the hardest to adopt. This can be attributed to a variety of factors: It is hard for people to see black cats in the shelter kennels as well as in photographs, in addition to superstition. Unfortunately, the longer a cat spends in a shelter, the more risk they are at to contract diseases and fall critically ill.
“Black cats are much tougher to adopt,” says Danielle Newsome, acting president of Infinite Woofs Animal Rescue Society. “It’s really quite heartbreaking because it is just the colour of their fur. If anything, when they shed you don’t notice it as much.”
The medieval ages in Europe saw superstition regarding black cats spread. Some scholars believe that a mass killing of black cats due to superstition caused the Black Death to spread across Europe--claiming the lives of 25 million people--as the cats were not around to keep the rodent population under control.
For Newsome, black cat superstition deprives people of the rewarding relationships that people can find with cats.
“I find it challenging to understand that mentality. Just like any cat, they are amazing creatures to have around. They provide companionship, they provide entertainment, they provide love in their own way and certainly that is not dependent on the colour of their fur.”
As for Ramsay, the black cat equals bad luck equation just doesn’t add up.
“I just never saw them as being bad luck...Stanley (the most recent black cat addition) showed up the year the Boston Bruins won the Stanley cup,” which is Ramsay’s husband’s favorite hockey team.
“I really think they chose us...they always just found their way here.”
Frosty festival warms music lovers’ hearts
Winterruption is making a comeback after a two-year COVID hiatus
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Savannah Parker
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The Faps perform at the Winterruption Festival in Edmonton in January 2020. (Eric Kozakiewicz)
IN A CITY where we are accustomed to staying indoors for at least six months of the year, one festival seeks to bring the energy of a summer music festival to Edmonton’s most frigid season.
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Winterruption YEG is finally making a comeback after a series of COVID-related delays.
The festival starts March 27 and runs until April 9.
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The concept was developed to promote the appreciation of a city that spends a good chunk of the year in a deep freeze, by encouraging people to get bundled up and enjoy a series of outdoor events that include live music, comedy and drag performances.
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“If you look to other cities that are in larger centres, that are in colder climates – I’m thinking like Sweden and Finland and Norway, and places like that – they have quite a few winter festivals,” festival organizer, Brent Oliver says.
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While there are several outdoor events, there are also many opportunities to warm up at the indoor shows.
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“The whole idea is that the event is walkable,” Oliver says. “You can just walk from the Starlite to the Rocky Mountain Ice House to see another band, and you’ll only be outside for five or 10 minutes.”
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The festival also helps to promote artists and venues that are traditionally experiencing a slow time of year.
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‘Not a lot of bands tour in January’
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“Not a lot of bands tour in January, for obvious reasons, in Canada,” he adds. “So this helps them out a lot, too.”
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This year’s lineup features such acts as comedian Gavin Crawford, drag artist Morgan McMichaels and scores of bands, including Tops, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, TEKE::TEKE, The Darcys and Alberta’s own St. Arnaud, which is set to release its sophomore album in June.
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“We’re a very accessible act,” bandleader Ian St. Arnaud says. “They have us on the outdoor stage this year – it’s one of the great free shows they are running. I’m hoping the weather holds up.”
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Many of the events are family-friendly and free, and a festival pass will set you back just $45.
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The festival has its roots in other outdoor festivals in the Prairies, such as Calgary’s Big Winter Classic and Saskatoon’s and Regina’s Winterruption festivals.
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Other cities have joined the festival circuit as well.
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“There has since been added a one-day festival in Swift Current called Winterruption and one in Winnipeg as well,” Oliver says. “So there are now six of us all together.”
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The expansion of Winterruption is welcome news for St. Arnaud, which has a reputation for being a darling of the festival circuit.
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“Festivals are the best,” Ian St. Arnaud says. “You can get a big lineup, which draws in a very different crowd, and you get other bands’ audiences. The festivals always take great care of us, and Winterruption is no exception.”
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For more information on the festival or to buy tickets, go here.
Our outrage is not just for the privileged
Support for Ukraine exposes our lack of support elsewhere
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Savannah Parker
Editor's Notebook
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A protestor carries a sign during the recent human chain rally against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. (Tim Johnson)
WHEN RUSSIA claimed it had embarked on a “special military operation” in Ukraine Feb. 24, what we saw looked suspiciously like an invasion.
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According to Russian state media, the manoeuvre was intended to “demilitarize and denazify” the country. Western and European nations saw it as an attack on democracy.
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Given our city’s large population of ethnic Ukrainians, many of whom settled in the downtown area in the early 1900s, it wasn’t surprising to see Edmontonians taking to the streets in a show of solidarity, Feb. 27.
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In 1905, Ukrainian settlement in Edmonton increased with the arrival of the Canadian Northern Railway, a remnant of which can still be seen on 124th street as a conspicuous bump in the road.
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The Boyle Street area in particular served as a community centre for Ukrainian newcomers. Along 97th street, you can still see the impressive Saint Josaphat’s Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, built in 1904. This area also had a Ukrainian bookshop, which was one of the city’s first.
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To this day, other important Ukrainian organizations continue to operate downtown, including the Ukrainian National Federation of Canada, which provides support to Ukrainian Canadians and Ukrainian army veterans, and St. John’s Institute, originally a residence for post-secondary students of Ukrainian descent.
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Many of these organizations were established with the intention of preserving Ukrainian culture and language, illustrating the powerful ties Ukrainians have to their origins.
Ukrainian settlers experienced their share of turmoil, prejudice, and even genocide. But, in Canada at least, they never had to fight the way people of colour did to preserve their culture.
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This brings us to the current outpouring of support against the assault on Ukraine – which should be our model for how to react whenever anyone is faced with violence and aggression.
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Defending democracy but very selectively
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Numerous wars have been waged in recent years with minimal outcry from the West, although other peoples have run the same risk of being overtaken by authoritarian rule. The argument for Ukraine is centred around defending a democratic nation, yet others have been left to perish in the fight for democracy.
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The real issue appears to be that a predominantly white Christian nation has been occupied without Western and European consent.
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Maybe the real horror for the West is that people perceived to be “just like us” can be ground under the heel of authoritarianism.
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I am a Canadian with a Ukrainian grandfather who grew up in a largely Ukrainian rural community. I enjoy Ukrainian food and traditions at holidays. I attend weddings and funerals at Ukrainian churches. I can remember insults hurled at my family, and other Ukrainians in the community.
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However, the support and coverage of this conflict has been lopsided.
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As our screens are overwhelmed with images of Ukraine, war rages on in Syria. Refugees still languish in Turkish camps, with no nation willing to claim them. Bodies of Indigenous children continue to be found at the sites of residential schools. Muslim Canadians experience daily harassment and assault. The United States delivers near-daily air assaults on Somalia.
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While support for Ukraine’s autonomy during this occupation is important and understandable, we need to take a moment to consider the lack of coverage and support for issues plaguing marginalized communities all over the globe.
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It’s time for us to be outraged about all unnecessary human suffering – regardless of colour or ethnicity.
COVID sent us home to work … and shop
As a result, 2021 market report shows, demand is up for warehouses, and down for offices
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Savannah Parker
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The Alberta Block has office space for rent. The former home of CKUA Radio was built in 1909 and renovated in 2015. (Savannah Parker)
THE DEMAND FOR office space has evaporated over the past two years, as COVID-19 led many businesses to adapt to working from home.
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Though employees have become accustomed to Zoom, and the blunders that go with it – mics and speakers stuck on mute, invading children – it seems bosses and owners are anxious to return us to the office.
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According to Colliers national market snapshot for 2021 – which provides a report on commercial real estate in Canada – the office-space market was in an upswing until the arrival of the omicron variant, which forced businesses to delay return-to-work plans.
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The report shows availability of office space has increased by roughly two per cent since the beginning of 2021.
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Although a two per cent increase may seem small, it points toward a more alarming trend. The report shows that Edmonton has the second highest office space vacancy in Canada at 19 per cent, trailing Calgary, which has a staggering 28 per cent.
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But it’s not all bad news, Colliers industrial associate Chase Thomas says.
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“Warehouse space is in high demand. The past year and a half has been busy for me in spite of COVID.”
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Many companies are purchasing warehouse space to stock up for anticipated supply shortages – and for booming online sales, he adds.
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“There is a lot of need for big box warehouses, which there isn’t a lot of.”
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The Colliers report shows that, unlike office space, industrial occupancy saw a nearly three per cent decrease in 2021.
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Although demand for industrial space has continued to grow through the pandemic, the office space market continues to struggle.
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Alberta’s office space occupancy is the lowest in the country. Yet, a decrease in the cost of rents could encourage businesses to lease space in anticipation for a return to onsite work, though that is likely to look different from past office models.
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“Companies want to get back to the office,” Thomas says. “But I could see the hybrid model of work being more popular, as companies want their employees to have time to brainstorm in-person while still being able to work from home.”
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The commercial real estate market provides two different outlooks regarding the state of industrial and office spaces. However, the situation looks like a perfect analogy for the unpredictability of the world today: one is resilient and hopeful; the other is struggling and uncertain.