Thursday, August 15, 2024
VOLUME 7 I ISSUE 8
MERIDIANSOURCE.CA
Lloyd’s busload rumour; not true INTRODUCING Dr. Matthew Wilkinson Joining our team
Now Accepting New & Emergency Patients
Members of the unhoused community have set up shop in downtown Lloydminster. The rumour is they’ve been bused in from other communities, but according to local experts, that’s not the case. Dan Gray Meridian Source Photo DAN GRAY STAFF WRITER
.................................. For months, the rumour around Lloydminster has been busloads of unhoused individuals are being shipped in from other communities, but according to the Men’s Shelter, Lloydminster RCMP, and a volunteer group on the street, that is not the case. “No, they’re not; that’s a common theme, right? If you read all the social media, they’re all shipped here by bus, and they’re making everybody else’s problem our problem,” said Lloydminster Men’s Shelter executive
director Kagen Kneen. “I’ve talked to other cities and communities; they are not shipping individuals by bus here. Sometimes, individuals will say they came on a bus, but they’re not a busload of unhoused individuals.” Lloydminster RCMP detachment commander, Staff Sgt. Brian Nicholl, parrots that sentiment. He understands the unhoused is a complex situation, but it’s also not illegal. He categorically denies any chances of busloads of people showing up in Lloydminster. “No, it’s 100 per cent a rumour we hear as well. The
reality is, there were times some places did that, some communities, from other places I worked in British Columbia, not here in Lloyd,” said Nicholl. “They would move people due to new housing that was created; some communities built specific housing for unhoused people.” Caring for our Community Lloydminster has been working with this vulnerable population since January, upwards of two times a week. Catherine Hill, one of the group’s founders, wants people to know the rumour isn’t true.
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“We, on occasion, noticed a few new faces when the weather warmed up, and around the time of the Lloyd Fair. That’s it. Please follow the Lloydminster Men’s Shelter for real awareness,” said Hill. “Misinformation spreads fear, anger and hatred for certain groups with obstacles. We are out in the middle of this and are not seeing busloads of new people.” The Men’s Shelter and Caring for Our Community seek people to donate their time to help those in need. You can reach out to them on Facebook if interested.
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