'Hope Alley' memorial honours those lost to drugs, homelessness

As the sun crested over the buildings of Winnipeg, community gathered to remember those who died on the city's streets this past year. A portion of Henry Avenue is known as Hope Alley. For years now, a fire has been lit here and people are given a chance to mourn together. A lot of those people, those names that were mentioned are people I know. And so, you know, it's a tough thing when, because we've been experiencing death a lot in the community. With the toxic drug supply, there's things always happening. Charles Uzitipi is the Indigenous Relations Coordinator with Main Street Project. He says the event helps people through their loss. And you're still showing up for work every day and you're still helping your family and you don't have that time to kind of slow down and process what has happened. In a decade of organizing the yearly memorial, activist Al Wiebe says the situation is getting worse, driven by a lack of housing, a toxic drug supply, and health care accessibility issues. It's really, really important that we don't consider people's statistics, but humans, like you and I. Knowledge keeper Delvina Kijik, whose spirit name is Mother Heart, says recognizing that humanity is a step in reconciliation. It has to do with our identity. It has to do with who we are. It has to do with where we came from. It has to do with where we are going. CBC News was given permission to film the sacred fire. Organizers say it'll burn here each year so long as people continue to be lost. Matt Humphrey, CBC News, Winnipeg.