Edmonton has the highest concentration of urban Indigenous Peoples living in Alberta and the second largest number of urban Indigenous People living in a Canadian city. With an Indigenous population of over 50,000 people, First Nations, Metis and Inuit account for 5.5 per cent of the city population (2016). Unfortunately, the number of Indigenous Peoples living without a place to call home is 56 per cent of the total homeless population in Edmonton. This goes without saying that the homeless population of Indigenous Peoples is represented disproportionately within this number.
Ambrose Daniels was one of them.
Daniels was born and raised in the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement 125km northeast of the city. Affectionately known as “Uncle Smurf” by family and friends, he was surrounded by a supportive network of community members. He worked in his trade until health complications forced him out of work and eventually led him to using substances to cope.
Ambrose Daniels made his way to Edmonton to live with a new-found family in an inner-city apartment. There, he showed great generosity in providing a warm place to sleep for those without a home. His generosity, unfortunately, led to an eventual eviction notice and subsequent homelessness. Housing units were difficult to access as an Indigenous person living with an addiction and shelters were nearly always full. Living with health and substance abuse issues, Daniels had no support on the streets of Edmonton. His situation led him to contract pneumonia without a warm place to rest and recover. He passed away at the age of 51.
The unfortunate irony of his homelessness is not lost, but the love and support shown by Daniels toward his time living homeless and his eventual passing inspired the creation of Ambrose Place. Although he struggled with issues of his own, Ambrose Daniels accepted those that needed a warm place to sleep as a friend and without judgement. His memory and legacy are honoured through the work of those at Ambrose Place as they continue to provide housing for those similar to Daniels.
At Ambrose Place, there is no pressure to immediately quit substance abuse, but there is a sense of community that encourages healthy living, which leads to residents choosing healthier habits. If a facility like Ambrose Place had come to Edmonton sooner, Ambrose Daniels and many more like him may have been able to survive or at the least could have passed comfortably, feeling loved and at home.