Local advocate says homeless in Lac La Biche need hats, mitts and gloves immediately

It snowed in the Lakeland Region overnight, and with a current temperature of minus seven in Lac La Biche, a local advocate has reached out to Lakeland Connect to rally the community to help keep the homeless people warm who recently lost their “tent city.”

Lac La Biche County tore down a homeless encampment on April 22, citing the Community Standards Bylaw which has displaced nine people. Local advocate Lisa Marie Bourque says some have found refuge, others have not, and are fighting the chill in their bones today without proper winter clothing.

“We need hats, mitts, gloves, and socks,” Bourque told Lakeland Connect. “It’s minus seven, cold, and snowing. Please drop off at Community Learning, located at 10020 – 102 Ave in Lac La Biche, Alberta.”

Bourque says the only home they had has been destroyed and piled up on a tree line and towards the end of the clean-up, the peace officers would not allow anyone to go back to retrieve any more belongings.

“Community Learning has been helping the people the entire time they have been homeless in Lac La Biche and have been shunned for doing this,” Bourque said. “It’s heartbreaking how people can be so heartless and cause more damage than good. All they want is to live alone in the bush.”

Bourque says she will continue to pray for all and hope that more people start taking a stand that “enough is enough”.

If you would like to donate hats, mitts, and gloves to keep the people on the street warm you can do so by contacting Community Learning in Lac La Biche at 789-623-2477.

Community Learning opens today at 10:00 a.m.

arthur@lakelandconnect.thedev.ca