Farewell to Gary St. Amand
After nearly twelve years of dedicated leadership, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Gary St. Amand as CEO of Bissell Centre. Gary’s time with us has been nothing short of transformative. From the beginning, his vision focused on supporting people and communities to move out of poverty and homelessness.
“When I accepted the role of CEO, a Board member gave me wise counsel. He said, ‘Keep the people you serve at the centre of everything you do, and you’ll be ok.’ That is something that I clung to and has centred my decision-making through the years.”
Gary St. Amand’s Lasting Legacy with Bissell Centre
Gary St. Amand started with Bissell Centre at a significant time in our city’s history. The 10-year Plan to End Homelessness in Edmonton had launched in 2009, and the community had begun to explore new ways to address poverty in the community.
In 2012, he joined the team as the Chief Programs Officer, transitioned to interim CEO in 2015, and was appointed permanent CEO in 2016. “I’m the 11th leader of this organization,” comments Gary. “This organization has existed for nearly 115 years. Having leaders hold their positions for this long is a true testament to Bissell Centre’s constitution.”
Gary’s passion and dedication have left a lasting impact. During his tenure at Bissell Centre, Gary initiated and oversaw the development of numerous initiatives including a crisis diversion program, the development of Hope Terrace, a supportive housing facility for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, the Outreach Housing Team. He also championed the Community Bridge — our eviction prevention program, Financial Empowerment, and Community Space. Under Gary’s leadership, Bissell Centre expanded its respite Child Care and Family Supports program, formed an Indigenous Engagement team, and implemented the Bissell Self-Sufficiency Matrix, a comprehensive data and evaluation system.
“I remember saying to our team — if asked, ‘how many people have you helped move out of poverty’, I wouldn’t have a way to answer that meaningfully for them. I could tell them how many meals we served and articles of clothing we gave out, but we had no way of knowing whether those things actually helped someone move out of poverty.” This led to the journey of developing a data system that provides a snapshot of how Bissell’s work contributes towards real change in an individual’s lived experience with poverty.
Bissell’s housing teams housed 500 people and helped over 500 people avoid eviction last year alone under his leadership. Over the past three years, the Financial Empowerment program has helped over 6,000 people receive over $20 million in tax returns. This has resulted in real, measurable change for thousands of individuals and families.
And while data has been critical to Bissell Centre’s journey as an organization, seeing the efforts made to learn and tend to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility bore fruit for us in a variety of ways. “It has been one of the most rewarding aspects of work for me personally,” says Gary. “Seeing us learn what it means to be good allies, building relationships with our Indigenous partners and communities, and putting in the hard work to ensure those values are lived out internally at Bissell has been huge.”
Overcoming Challenges
Gary would be the first to acknowledge that the work hasn’t always been easy. “COVID-19 was devastating to the community. With almost no notice, the services and supports people relied on were either gone or significantly reduced.”
In an incredible collaborative effort, numerous partners, including Bissell Centre, created a day service and medical shelter for those without homes within which they could safely shelter.
“I remember the announcement from Premier Kenny that was made on Friday, and by Monday, three days later, our collective of partners opened the doors. We doubled in size in a matter of weeks, relocated many of our programs to the Edmonton Expo Centre, all while trying to figure out, like everyone else at the time, what COVID-19 meant for us as people and employers.
During the first two years of the pandemic, our services continuously adapted to the rapidly changing challenges of poverty. Families and individuals who had never faced financial hardship before suddenly found themselves without options. “The Community Bridge, our eviction prevention program, was inundated with new applications — many from people who had never needed assistance before.”
In addition to COVID-19, another epidemic soon reared its head. Deaths by poisoning due to substances laced with lethal ingredients soared. “When I began working at Bissell Centre, I had not even heard of Naloxone. Never could I have imagined a moment when I would attend a memorial for over 400 people who died while having no home – many of them due to the toxicity levels in narcotics.”
In recent years, the dramatic increase in the cost of living, rental rates, and vacancy rates has further compounded many of the challenges faced by those living with the challenges of poverty. Last year alone, rental rates for single bedroom units increased by 23%.
When asked how he remained positive in the face of these difficult realities, Gary responded, “Because I see the resiliency of those with whom we have the privilege of working alongside, and I see the determination of our incredible team members at Bissell Centre, and our partners and I remember that in our long history, this isn’t the first time the storms have threatened. We have seen time and time again when we keep working together despite what is happening around us, and regardless of where we are situated in our communities, we can endure those storms. We can continue to build a better future for all of us.”
New Opportunities
As Gary continues his personal and professional journey, he will continue to carry his human-centered values into the national context.
“I am so deeply grateful to our team, board members, partners, donors, volunteers and everyone who has leaned into strengthening our communities and worked to make them accessible for everyone.”
“In particular, I want to thank the many people who have come through our doors. I have learned so much from you over the years — lessons on being generous despite having very little, staying hopeful when things feel hopeless, and remaining kind when the world around you feels uncaring.”
We couldn’t agree more! Thank you for 12 years of leadership and wisdom, Gary.