The territorial government says there are multiple homeless encampments across the city, but can't pinpoint how many.
"The exact number is still being confirmed," said James Tolley, the director of homelessness for housing Housing NWT.
On July 24, Tolley added that both the GNWT and the City of Yellowknife are working together on mapping areas that could be identified as encampments.
"This includes identifying how many sites exist, how frequently they are used, and whether they are occupied seasonally or consistently," he said.
Housing NWT does not provide direct services to these sites, Tolley noted. He added that the GNWT is focused on supporting shelter access, promoting camping on CommissionerSA国际影视传媒檚 Land and working on long-term housing solutions.
Tammy Roberts, executive director of Home Base Yellowknife, a program that provides housing and other supports to youth, told SA国际影视传媒 on July 18 about the existence of multiple homeless encampments in the city.
"There's a lot," she said. "Some in Kam Lake, some over in uptown."
Saxon Chung, communications advisor for the city, said the municipality is working with the and not-for-profit organizations to respond to encampments on a case-by-case basis.
According to the city, in 2024, Yellowknife had a population of 327 homeless people, representing a five per cent increase since 2021. Most of that population was concentrated in emergency shelters. Eight per cent of the population listed "encampment" as their accomodation type at the time of the survey.
However, when respondents could pick multiple types of accommodation they occupied over the past year, the "encampment" option rose to 27 per cent.
One prominent encampment in Yellowknife is located next to the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Maj. Tony Brushett with the Salvation Army told SA国际影视传媒 there's 20 to 30 people staying there.
Though the city formally asked the GNWT to provide portable toilets to that particular encampment, the territorial government has not accommodated. That's in contrast to when the GNWT did so last summer at an encampment on 51 Street.
