The Prince Albert Downtown Improvement District Association is attempting to take a proactive approach to a growing concern of aggressive panhandlers in the core area.
"It's not a huge problem," says executive director Jane Remenda. "We are, however, working with the police and volunteers to do the right thing and that is education."
The organization which represents downtown's merchants has come up with a "Change for Change" concept which is the first of its kind in Saskatchewan.
"Basically what we are proposing is people can donate to stores and businesses and then receive tokens which in turn can be passed out to those who panhandle," Remenda explains. These tokens can then be used for showers, bus passes or even a meal.
"We recognize there are those who want to give and there are those who are in need," says Remenda. All donations from the tokens are then given to local agencies.
Currently the city "obstructive solicitation" bylaw states that people who panhandle can be charged with an offense punishable with up to $2,000 in fines or up to 90 days in jail.
Remenda says it doesn't make sense to fine someone thousands of dollars for begging a loonie or a toonie.
There's nothing illegal about someone asking for change but those who use aggressive tactics can be charged under the bylaw, explains Sgt. Dave Schluff of the Prince Albert City Police.
"We have laid charges for aggressive panhandling," Schluff says. "If people feel uncomfortable, trapped or cornered or those who have been warned keep doing it, we will lay charges."
Remenda says the biggest complaint come from those who say they won't come downtown after 6 p.m.. However, she adds stores and most businesses are closed at that time.
Downtown group tackles panhandling
-
- Published on April 11th, 2009
- Published on November 3rd, 2009
- Ken Noskye
The Prince Albert Downtown Improvement District Association is attempting to take a proactive approach to a growing concern of aggressive panhandlers in the core area.
- Number of views : 1260
- Rate
- Top of the page
Comments
-
- Jayne
- - November 18th, 2009
To everyone missing the point.
According to the OBSTRRUCTIVE solicitation bylaw
No person shall solicit in a manner which causes an obstruction.
Yes you may solicit for a quarter for a meter, or a loonie /toonie for a bus
No you can not be caught or reported Causing an obstruction while soliciting.
Or solicit to a captive audience such as in an elevator or waiting for public transit or some one using a bank machine. This is happening all over the City not just downtown.
Point was:
To encourage people to NOT give money. (Which many do)
To enforce the Obstructive solicitation bylaw and fine.
To educate people on the options.
Encourage the reporting of any such incident.
Deter solicitation by only offer real assistance and redirecting someone in real need to the appropriate service provided.
http://www.citypa.ca/Portals/0/PDF2/Bylaws/Bylaw No. 08 of 2007 - Obstructive Solicitation Bylaw.pdf -
- one
- - November 18th, 2009
Remember!...do one good deed of the day. tell them sorry i already did my deed of the day maybe tomorrow.
-
- A
- - November 18th, 2009
Poor is poor, try helping them out!!
-
- jessica
- - November 18th, 2009
ok ok you guys win i will stop asking for toonies and go back to quaters, but toonies is what the bus takes.....haha...im being sarcastic but yea it does get annoying....i always wonder where they get the booze from.
-
- Alexa
- - November 18th, 2009
WOW! Did you just say that A BC ?!?! I (EDITOR'S NOTE: responds to racist commentary removed from site.) /i First of all, do you know for a fact that all of the homeless people/panhandlers in this city are in fact First Nations Peoples? Are they all alcoholics, thieves, and criminals? NO! I can tell you that right now. As a proud Metis person of this community I would like to tell you that I am deeply offended at this comment and my jaw dropped when I read this. I would like you to get rid of the idea right now that all First Nations people are like this, and stop being so RACIST! You are no better then anyone else, so get over yourself and start thinking more positive then that. I would also like to say that not all First Nations peoples have reserves to go to. Or they may not have family to lean on for that matter. And if they do, what are you gonna do about it, huh? you can't just make them go back to their reserve, theyhave just as much of a right to be here as you do. Dont forget what the term First Nations means, they were here first!!! Let us just picture for one second where the city's population would be if we took all of the First Nations of Prince Albert out of the city. That would be a pretty sad picture, since they do make up a very significant, large part of the population, businesses would suffer, etc. And when you say they are not contributing to this city, just think about yourself first before you make a rude comment like that. What are you contributing? Are you PERFECT?? Yeah, I didn't think so. The next time you even think about making a comment like this, think to yourself before typing it/speaking it. If you said this an Aboriginal persons face, im pretty sure they would want to beat you up. haha.
-
- b
- - November 18th, 2009
Alexa W, your last comment really says it all. And that's the problem.
-
- saddened by this city
- - November 18th, 2009
I recently moved away from Prince Albert, and it wasn't untill I moved away that I realized just how racist and ignorant many of the people in the city actually were. I can now shop in stores without being followed around, I can walk down the street without people thinking I'm begging, or out looking for some trouble. I can even wear nice things and not have people make comments on where I stole it from. I am a strong, independent university educated native woman and I was raised by a community of people consisting of elders, grandparents, uncle, aunts and of course my parents. When a member of our community is in need we help. Maybe this is what Prince Albert needs more of... empathy. Just a thought.
-
- Shaking my head
- - November 18th, 2009
well here we go again coddling the loosers in society who won't get off their you know what to get ahead-why should they-there's always some kind of program or another to help-cruise through life on the bare minimum and then blame society because the man's keeping you down-Their addicted-give em needles-they're beggers-give em tokens-how does thatin any way stop panhandling?? Rediculous !!
-
- jeff
- - November 18th, 2009
There's an old saying, never judge someone until you've walked in their shoes.
It's easy for all you people to sit at your computer in your comfy chair and call people less fortunate than yourselves losers.
Poverty and homelessness are not race issues and obviously niether is addiction.
Whatever happened to educating and helping people. we shouldn't be charging and fining people for being in a horrible position in their life. How is a $2000 fine or 90 days in jail going to help someone get off the street or help them get off a drug addiction.
I find it that people here are so quick to get angry at people who panhandle or angry at the needle situation.
What we need to do as a society is stop turning our backs on these people and looking at them as nuisances.
these people need help. It's more emabarassing to me to I read these comments and hear how heartless and ignorant some people are.
There has to be ways to help people instead of belittle them and make their situations worse than they already are. -
- Dale
- - November 18th, 2009
THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO A BC'S COMMENTS: SO IF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE WITH PERSONAL PROBLEMS/ADDICTIONS SHOULD GO BACK TO THE RESERVE WHY DON'T PEOPLE WHO ARE AS IGNORANT AS YOU ARE GO BACK TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY AND LEARN SOME EMPATHY. REMEMBER YOUR ANCESTORS WHERE THE ONES WHO BROUGHT OVER ALCOHOL AND DISEASE, AND THEN TIRED TO ASSIMILATE FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE BECASUE WE WERE MORE KNOWLEDGABLE, MORE WISER THAN YOUR CAUCASION ANCESTORS. tHEY DID NOT SUCCEED, WE ARE HERE PROUD AND STRONG. IN REALITY A BC, YOU ARE MORE OF A HINDERENCE TO THIS COMMMUNITY THAN ANYONE ELSE WITH YOUR PREJUDICES AND IGNORANT MIND SET. MAY THE CREATOR BLESS YOU WITH COMPASSION AND WISDOM.
-
- Matt
- - November 18th, 2009
I think this is one of the best alternatives to stop panhandlers, I do have simpathy for many of those people as many of them have seen a side of the world I can't even imagine whether be their own fault or in other cases not. At the same time I agree with all of you that say you can't give them money because they just may abuse it so yes I'm on board with this idea.
Make no mistake I doubt it will stop panhandlers all together but such an idea was never intended to, only to help slow it.
Furthermore I must say that although panhandlers do bug me to some degree and some could argue it's not the same thing but If I had forgotten my change at home only had debit and wished to plug a meter I certainly hope that someone passing by would be willing to help assist me, so in conclusion I think the idea of panhandlers is blown alittle out of proportion (like many things in this city) and although it doesn't create a good impression on visitors or any other person living here, it is simply something that every city has to live with to some degree.........so yes I am willing to tolerate panhandlers or even help them if I can (although not be taken advantage of, of course). -
- Gloria
- - November 19th, 2009
In regards to the panhandling issue. Some of the negative and postive comments.
I grew up in a big major city, which were made up of a very diverse culture of people.
I have encountered panhandlers in my travels through Canada, and you will hear all kinds of phases the panhandlers that stop you and ask for spare change. There are the professional panhandlers who make there living at this and there are a lot more who are in need of the spare change. Yes lets all face it and if the economy gets worse, this problem will continue to grow in the areas of our city here in Prince Albert. We could be dealing with more people down on their luck taking up panhandling for spare change. We should not shun or show disrespect to those who are panhandling, and i hope that one day you or myself are never destitute to panhandle because of the growing population, loss of jobs or if the economy worsens. Some thoughts for all to ponder are to help, educate and show your support to the panhandlers is to get a program in place, before it gets out of control.
When the problem will soon get bigger, the blame is always put on the City Officials and the City Police Service asking why there hasn't anything being done or something implemented as such a program. And guess what it always happens and someone always gets the negative responses.
We should be giving the support, educating the general public and the panhandlers.
Trying this program Change for Change for a positive change for the city of Prince Albert. There are some who want to give and most people are getting tired of giving or being asked continually.
This problem will deter the panhandlers from asking or it will help the panhandler see there are services they can unitize in the city. My beliefs are and the way i was brought up was to treat others with respect, kindness and a caring heart, we can make a change for the positive to this issue.
Lets find a solution to the problem, one way is being proactive this could be a solution and why not give this program Change for Change for a positive change for the city of Prince Albert. -
- FRED
- - November 19th, 2009
Give them tokens and then watch the traffic down town, it will be like bees to honey. Offer them a job and see them run! Thats more amussing then telling them to _____ off! Another example of do gooders helping out people who don't want to be helped because we teacher them that someone else will go to work for you and look after your lazy, sorry butts!!
-
- B
- - November 19th, 2009
I don't think that token business will work. It'll just be more garbage thrown on the streets.
It's gotten so bad that I won't go to the Tim Horton's on 2nd and 15th. EVERYTIME I go there, whether its drive thru or walk in, I get hassled for a ride, money, you name it. There's guys going up and down the drive thru line, guys standing outside the store. I wouldn't mind if it was occassionally, but I don't like being hassled everytime I go out, and especially when I have my kids with me. This city is getting pathetic! -
- really wet
- - November 19th, 2009
Currently the city obstructive solicitation bylaw states that people who panhandle can be charged with an offense punishable with up to $2,000 in fines or up to 90 days in jail. what a joke.
give the loser 90 days then lets see them scam err I mean panhandle from me again. ohh yeah and let's fine the poor guy an push him yet deeper in the hole and the 2000.00 can go to our homeless shelter where maybe he can go work it off we all know he can't Afford it. An just maybe the judge will throw him in jail for this silly by-law it's as laughable as the no spitting by-law and associated enforcement. we all know that they cannot afford the fine, but they Don't care they r just addicted and can't really fend for themselves. -
- J
- - November 19th, 2009
What do you mean after 6 p.m. I have had panhandlers bug me in the middle of day, early afternoon, and intoxicated at that.... Although one wants to feel sorry for them, there is a limit. I work hard for my money, and do help out where and when I can, but I have family to take care of too.
-
- shawn
- - November 19th, 2009
why should u give them tokens, tell them to get a job like the rest of us, i got approached the other day asking for a toone and a ride, whatever happened to asking for a quarter? i work hard for my money and im not gonna give it to someone who wont go get a job, theres alot of jobs out there im sure mcdonalds is looking for employees
-
- FRED
- - November 20th, 2009
Give them tokens and then watch the traffic down town, it will be like bees to honey. Offer them a job and see them run! Thats more amussing then telling them to _____ off! Another example of do gooders helping out people who don't want to be helped because we teacher them that someone else will go to work for you and look after your lazy, sorry butts!!
-
- Brock 54
- - November 20th, 2009
Offer to buy these panhandlers a sandwich rather than giving them the money and you'll more than likely get a two word refusal. I know because I've tried it!
