Regina homelessness victims honoured at annual memorial

WATCH: Those who lost their lives to homelessness are being remembered in the annual Regina Homelessness Memorial. Angela Stewart reports.

It was a sombre evening Tuesday at Pat Fiacco Plaza as dozens gathered to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives to homelessness in the city.

Crowds gathered for the ninth annual Regina Homeless Memorial, which was organized by the Phoenix Residential Society.

“We are so passionate about it and it’s something that we hold very close to our hearts,” said Eryn Langdon, supervisor of McEwen Manor for the Phoenix Residential Society.

The memorial began with a traditional prayer, land acknowledgement and song.

Ribbons lined the event’s stage, with each displaying a name of someone who has died while homeless in the city.

According to the organization, there were around 800 people who were impacted by the crisis just last year.

Those who attended the memorial repeatedly highlighted the number of services in the city and reiterated that more needs to be done for those suffering from homelessness in Regina.

“I think that everybody is doing the best they can under the circumstances, but I do think that there’s always more that we can be doing as a whole community and through various different supports,” Langdon said.

“There’s a lot living on the streets right now, we see a lot of homelessness outside. It’s definitely something we need. More affordable housing and more spaces for people.”

The group plans to continue having important conversations surrounding homelessness and holding future memorials.