The Black Friday market, which took place inside the C.D. Howe Building in downtown Ottawa on Friday, featured more than 20 Indigenous vendors from across the country. 

Charette, who sells beaded jewelry, originates from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory in Manitoulin Island. He said he has been bead-working with his sister since he was 13 years old. Together, they launched the David Whitedeer brand and sell their earrings in markets across the city.

He noted that the colours and designs he chooses for his work come from the inspiration of outfits he encountered in pow-wow dancing when he was a kid. Charette added that dancing is a lifestyle and is one that he embraces.

“You get trained for it during the wintertime, and then the summertime comes and there’s pow-wows back-to-back every weekend,” he said.

A few booths down was Marissa Dubé’s display. Dubé, who co-founded Indigenous Markets and is also a vendor, said she met her business partners at the Adaawe Indigenous Hub, an organization for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

 “We wanted to provide a higher-end experience for Indigenous Markets and be able to provide vendors with free opportunities,” she said. “We get sponsors to pay for the full event so that everyone does not pay for their tables.”

Through providing merchants with financially-accessible opportunities, Indigenous Markets is complementing its vision to “provide a unique retail experience that highlights Indigenous art, culture and traditions – while at the same time working towards our collective goal to Indigenize Colonial Spaces.”

Dubé highlighted Eiralize Dreams, her dream catcher and bracelet company. Self-taught and with familial links to both the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Algonquin and Kahnawake Mohawk territory, Dubé described the intricate webbing done on dream catchers.

“Traditionally, dream catchers were made to filter out the bad dreams. You would have them above your bed and the bad dreams will get lost in the webbing, which is why it’s so intricate,” she said. She added that the purpose of the feathers is so that good dreams and thoughts trickle down onto people as they sleep.

Tierney Kist heard about the event from a vendor she follows on Instagram, Quality Quills. Kist came out to the market to see what other Indigenous vendors would be selling. 

“I think it’s really nice to have something that showcases Indigenous peoples specifically,” she said. “They have so many beautiful things to offer and [it’s] really special that people are able to come and appreciate it in this kind of capacity.”

Kist said she is a huge fan of beaded earrings, so she was on the lookout for a pair for herself and also searching for a few gifts as the holiday season shopping begins.

Charette added he likes the environment of the market as “it brings people together” and allows artisans from different communities to come together. He added he hopes to be a part of Indigenous Markets for a long time.

The taskforce was designed to create “emergency shelter services for single adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness,” according to a memo sent to the mayor and city council on Nov. 1. Demand for emergency shelters, the memo said, is “outpacing supply,” painting a grim picture for Ottawa’s future.

“There are over 250 people currently living unsheltered, a large portion of whom will seek to access shelter services through the winter,” the memo said, noting 187 additional beds may be required.

While the needs of homeless adults were considered, the memo does not explicitly mention homeless youth once. That’s a striking omission since young people between the ages of 13 and 25 make up 20 per cent of Canada’s homeless population.

“Youth are the poor cousin within the homelessness sector,” said Kaite Burkholder Harris, the executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness. “They’re often not part of the conversation.”

The reality of youth homelessness in Ottawa

Officially, Ottawa has more than 100 documented homeless youth, but “we know the number is larger than that,” Burkholder Harris said.

Michael Wade, the assistant director of community services for the Youth Services Bureau (YSB), agreed the number is likely higher, and added calculating an exact number of homeless youth is complicated because “there is no accurate measure of it in Ottawa.” For example, some youth shelters are not financially supported by the city and thus are not included in Ottawa’s “official” numbers.  

What is clear is that only 32 beds in shelters are specifically designated for youth, Wade said.

As the demand for youth shelters far outweighs the supply, young people are often turned away, Burkholder Harris said. This introduces them to significant risks on the streets and often exposes them to certain dangers.

Survival sex is one danger on the streets when there is nowhere else to go. Burkholder Harris said people sometimes think they’re just going to stay overnight at a person’s house but find themselves pressured to have sex in exchange.

Nearly 60 per cent of street-involved youth report violent victimization, meaning they are six times more likely to be victimized compared to the general population, according to Homeless Hub, an online research library created by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.

“We know that homeless young people are at increased risk of becoming victims of criminal activity, sexual exploitation or substance abuse,” Wade said.  “In that sense, homelessness is a danger to young people.”

Adult shelters not suitable for youth

Not only are unsheltered youth facing dangers on the streets, but unaddressed youth homelessness often results in chronic adult homelessness.

Homeless youth could become “a substantial portion of a city’s chronically homeless adult population,” Wade said.

The Emergency Shelter Crisis taskforce provides a short-term solution for the bed shortage, but does not provide the environment youth desperately need for healthy development, said Jason Pino, executive director of Restoring Hope Ministries, a Christian ministry that operates an emergency shelter in a church on Laurier Avenue. The space can hold at least 20 youth.

Pino says youth do not belong in adult shelters.

“They’ve experienced having their things stolen or being harassed there or being intimidated,” said Pino, explaining how youth have voiced fear in staying in Ottawa’s established adult shelters. Some individuals, who have aged out of Restoring Hope’s program, “are still afraid of going to the adult shelter,” and have chosen to sleep near the church that houses Restoring Hope instead.

Burkholder Harris agrees. “When there are young people in adult situations, it’s not great,” she said, describing how oftentimes, youth in these situations are exposed to “more substance use,” as well as exposure to “higher levels of trauma.” 

Emergency shelters set up by the city’s taskforce, some of which are located in community centres, are adult-centric and could pose similar risk.

Youth need specific support for healthy development

In order to eradicate the cycle of homelessness before it becomes chronic, advocates told The Capital Chill, youth need specific developmental and emotional supports that adult centres and emergency shelters do not provide.  

Youth shelters take a developmental approach, Wade said. YSB hires youth workers specifically for their youth-oriented skillset. “Adult shelters don’t take into consideration that an 18-year-old, while technically an adult, is still developing into adulthood and they are, quite frankly, missing a lot of basic skill sets.”

Youth need emotional support and a feeling of safety to properly develop. “I think what can’t get overlooked for homeless youth is the mental and emotional support that they need,” said Pino. Some youth may feel “anxiety or trauma around being in that large environment around a lot of adults.”

If their emotional and mental needs are not being met, youth are “more likely to become long-term homeless,” he added.

Looking beyond short-term solutions

While Pino, Burkholder Harris and Wade all nod to the efforts of the city and its taskforce, a long-term solution is necessary for vulnerable youth in the community to receive adequate care.

In order to mitigate youth homelessness, advocates say that certain measures must be taken. More transitional housing and not-for-profit housing is needed in the city because “homelessness is a housing problem, it’s not a person problem,” Burkholder Harris said.

She added reforming the child-welfare system and providing youth with sufficient employment strategies so that they learn how to support themselves is also essential.

Advocates added emergency shelters are simply inadequate to provide homeless youth with the safe environment that is needed for proper development.

“It’s a stop gap,” Burkholder Harris said.

“We have an emergency room at the hospital for a reason. But at the end of the day, we need a hell of a lot of primary care. And right now we have a system that doesn’t have enough primary care.”

Mazlum Gunes survived the powerful 7.7 earthquake that struck in the morning hours of Feb. 6, but his house in Kahramanmaraş province was destroyed.

In the aftermath, the Canadian government fast-tracked temporary and permanent residence applications for those affected by the disaster. They also made it easier for Turkish citizens already in Canada to extend their stay.

Gunes applied to come to Canada after hearing the news and arrived in September.

“I left my family, my friends, my job,” the 29-year-old said. “I left everything behind, but here I am trying to provide a better future for my family.”

At first, Gunes worked in construction in Toronto, where he said his employer forced him to work for below the minimum hourly wage. “People who immigrate for forced reasons do not have much time for research. You want to start working and earn money as soon as possible,” he said. “But you should be careful of people who try to cheat you and rob you of your labour.”

Meanwhile, immigrants whose families remain in Turkey’s earthquake zone are worried.

Tarik Dirikolu, a civil engineering graduate student at Carleton University, arrived in Ottawa a month before the earthquake. His family lives in Malatya province, which was hit hardest by the earthquake.

“When the earthquake happened, I didn’t hear from my family for a few days because there were problems with the communication lines,” the 26-year-old said. “My family and relatives are fine, but many of my friends died in the earthquake and I am trying to cope with the negative effects of this pain.”

Dirikolu said his goal is to return to Turkey after graduation to study how buildings can be designed to better withstand earthquakes. He has already received a job offer from the Turkish government.

Newcomers like Gunes and Dirikolu who came to Canada as a result of the earthquakes now find themselves preparing for harsh winter conditions and other challenges. However, members of the vibrant Turkish diaspora community already established in Canada – which the federal government estimates at about 65,000 people – are now stepping up to offer newcomers helpful suggestions to settle comfortably.

Advantages, challenges of immigration

Umut Safir, a business student at Algonquin College in Ottawa, moved to Vancouver after graduating from high school in Turkey. When he first arrived, there were numerous public-health measures, making it difficult to meet people. He overcame this issue by meeting Turkish immigrants on social media.

“I had many friends who came Ottawa by taking advantage of the visa facility provided to earthquake victims, but many of them returned,” Safir said.

He said he would like to gain work experience in Canada and then continue his career in Turkey. “The health system is not adequate, taxes are too high. Your career and education in Turkey are not valid here. You have to start everything from scratch,” he added.

Safir, 23, explained bills, mortgages and car loans put too much pressure on workers, a problem reason enough to return to his country.

Dirikolu expressed the advantages and challenges of immigration. He said living in a multicultural environment and meeting new people raised his awareness. He noted the cold weather is challenging, so newcomers must maintain their mental health during the long winter.

“Newcomers don’t want to go out too much because of the harsh winter conditions. But spending time at home all the time prevents newcomers from socializing and puts them in a psychologically difficult situation,” he said.

“Ottawa’s winter makes immigrants who arrive here alone feel even more alone.”

Dirikolu said immigrants should plan ahead and prepare for the worst.

“Everyone who comes to Canada thinks they are going to pick up money from the ground. No one should immigrate to another country with these illusions and without a plan,” he explained.

Newcomers advised to mentally prepare for challenges

Omer Yuzgulec was the director of a news agency in Turkey, but faced accreditation issues in Canada. After five years in Ottawa, the 43-year-old is now a Canadian citizen and owns a furniture store in Billings Bridge Shopping Centre. He said Turkish immigrants who have bought the furniture he imported from Turkey felt like they were at home.

“The biggest issue of being an immigrant is missing the land where you were born and raised,” he said.

Yuzgulec said the pandemic transformed many habits and it is now more difficult to find a job and survive. “Yesterday was easier than today. Tomorrow will be harder than today.”

He added immigrants should prepare themselves mentally for immigration and be aware of the difficulties. “Success for newcomers will come over time. Countries such as Australia and Canada are highly preferred destinations by immigrants,” he said. “Turkey also has high living standards. The biggest difficulty I see for newcomers is that they cannot achieve these living standards here.”

For those who arrived after the earthquake, he suggested they should make their career plans very carefully. “Avoid making sudden decisions. Coping with the negative effects of the earthquake and trying to get used to a new country may cause them to make wrong decisions,” he said.

Yuzgulec said it is challenging for people to come to Canada and start all over again. Since most immigrants cannot transfer their experience, they must gain Canadian experience to move ahead.

“Blue-collar people with technical skills adapt more easily. White-collar workers, on the other hand, have a harder time adapting,” he said.

Yuzgulec and his wife are unsure if they will spend the rest of their lives in Canada but plan to stay in Ottawa for a while, he said.

“Immigration is a state of being on the road. After settling down in one place, your soul wants to explore new places.”

Advice for Ottawa’s harsh winter

In terms of preparing for the upcoming winter, Safir said winter coats and boots are very expensive in Turkey due to inflation and advised people coming from Turkey to buy their winter gear in Canada. “There is a lot of variety and prices are cheap in Canada. But inflation is getting annoying here too,” he said.

Yuzgulec said Turkish immigrants should buy their winter jackets and boots in Canada. “Many of my friends who purchased winter products in Turkey found that they were inadequate when they came here. Winter in Canada can affect you mentally more than it affects daily life,” he said.

“Even if the weather is minus 20 degrees, seeing the blue sky will make you feel better.”

Advocates for improving winter mobility say disabled and aging Ottawa residents aren’t often considered in snow and ice removal policy. This inaccessibility leads to more people being unable to go outside.

The City of Ottawa Winter Maintenance Quality Standards, which turn 20 this year, prioritize roadways but there is little mention of accessibility for residents with mobility problems. The standards have been under review for years, but updates have been delayed.

Sandra Stec, a community leader in Centretown for the volunteer group Snow Moles, said the snow piled on the edges of sidewalks last winter made them unpassable.

“You couldn’t go down the street, even if you were in an emergency vehicle,” Stec said. She explained how people with mobility aids, or even strollers, would be forced to walk in the road due to sidewalk conditions.

She also said she’s seen a disparity with snow removal in residential versus suburban neighbourhoods. “They clear out the snow in Kanata far sooner than they would do here,” Stec said.

Snow Moles, a six-year-old project created by members of The Council on Aging and Age Friendly Ottawa, engages volunteers who share their winter navigation experiences with the City of Ottawa.

The council says snow and ice removal is often done haphazardly, leaving narrow crossing paths, uneven terrain and slippery conditions. Disabled and/or aging residents are left to devise their own strategies on how to keep safe.

For Jay Baldwin, a Carleton University student who uses a power chair, advocacy is a daily task in a world that doesn’t consider disabled voices. “People will ask if I ever get tired fighting for the rights of people like me,” said Baldwin, who minors in human rights and disability studies. “Do you think disabled people have an option? We can’t wake up one day and hope that other people will fight for us just as hard as we do – that just doesn’t happen,” they said.

Baldwin recounted a time in first year when they were stuck in the middle of the road because of the snow. “Four sweet angels of human beings stopped and saw that I was stuck. They had to lift my whole chair out of the snow,” Baldwin said. “This is a heavy chair. Without me in it it’s already 400 pounds.”

Uneven snow clearage on sidewalks also gives Baldwin a hard time. “I brace myself every time I go on the sidewalks for bumps. It’s hard to do that since my spine is fused,” they said. This leads to them staying indoors for most of the winter.

This has led to them forming a book club, “Disabled Babes Book Club” and a queer Facebook group “Disabled, Queer and Fabulous” for the sole purpose of “bringing people like myself and my community together,” Baldwin said.

On Carleton’s campus, a tunnel system can be a much-needed refuge from the snow. For Jessica Ursitti, it makes it easy for her to get to her classes in the winter, but off campus is a different story. Ursitti, who studies history at Carleton, uses a power chair.

Ice poses a significant challenge to Ursitti, especially since sidewalks aren’t typically cleared for it. “I can’t get around ice very much. My wheels just keep turning,” Ursitti said. “I have a lot of instances where people have to push me, which is really uncomfortable.”

Ursitti explained she needs a power chair in the wintertime since manual wheelchairs can easily get stuck. “Manual chairs are totally different, you can’t do snow at all,” said Ursitti “Slush gets stuck between the wheels on a manual chair, and then you’ll get it on your hands. It’s not doable.”

Another problem, she said, is when snow isn’t fully cleared off the sidewalk and accessibility ramps on OC Transpo buses can’t lower completely.

“I’ve had to ask people so many times to kick the snow out of the way. They do it, and they’re nice about it, but you don’t want to ask,” Ursitti said. “You just want to be able to do this stuff and not bother people — it’s annoying.”

Joel Harden, MPP for Ottawa Centre, has been fighting for a more accessible Ottawa. He said winter mobility conditions can mean “house arrest the moment we have a massive snowstorm.”

He said the ability of municipalities to raise money for city maintenance has been drastically cut because of new Ontario legislation adopted last year that waives development charges that otherwise would go to municipal funding, such as snow removal and sidewalk safety.

The City of Ottawa declined a request for comment.

The following photo sliders show what Ottawa streets look like with and without snow. To use the photo sliders, drag the white circle across the image to reveal the difference.