Edmonton mayor to declare 'housing and homelessness' emergency next Monday

The mayor of Edmonton is going to declare a "housing and homelessness" emergency on Monday, days after local police finished the removal of eight "high-risk" encampments.

Amarjeet Sohi called a special city council meeting on Thursday to make the motion.

The Edmonton Police Service cleared the last camp on Wednesday at Rowland Road and 95 Street.

Three people who refused to leave were arrested. Another man was arrested during a confrontation with police there a day earlier.

"Recent actions at encampment clearances may not be in line with our commitments to upholding reconciliation, and our obligation of care in communities across the city," the mayor wrote in a blog post. "I had hoped that the changes that were made to the High-Risk Encampment Response after our meeting with members of the social sector, EPS and City Administration would have addressed some gaps, but it is clear more changes are needed."

If the emergency declaration is approved, the mayor plans to invite provincial, federal and Indigenous officials to meet.

Coun. Anne Stevenson told reporters on Thursday she strongly supports Sohi's action.

"We can all agree that encampments are not adequate shelter for anyone," she said.

"Appropriate housing and health solutions are needed so everyone can be healthy and safe. Encampments are simply a symptom of a broader housing and health crisis. And the only truly lasting response to them is to provide adequate home support and treatment options for all Edmontonians." 

The province issued a statement Thursday evening, again insisting there is no reason for people to be sleeping in encampments.

"I have said before and will continue to say: there is safe space in shelters around the city and nobody will be turned away," said Jason Nixon, minister of seniors, community and social services.

"We have more than enough room for every homeless person in the city of Edmonton to have a warm, safe place to stay."

Coun. Andrew Knack responded to Nixon on X, formerly Twitter, saying the shelter issue is one of quality not quantity.

"What many people have suggested, including me, is that the standards are not good enough which is why some people aren’t choosing to use the shelters," Knack wrote.

"I greatly appreciate that you chose to fund additional shelter spaces in our city. Thank you. Now we need to see a further improvement to the current shelter standards."

The province said its Edmonton Public Safety Cabinet Committee (EPSCC), which was formed in November, continues to respond to the situation and is monitoring the court battle over encampments.

"I have been working and will continue to work diligently alongside the provincial government, in the spirit of reconciliation, for months on the serious action that is needed to get all people off the streets, including First Nations people," said Cody Thomas, Grand Chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations.

Thomas is a member of the EPSCC, along with eight provincial ministers, Premier Danielle Smith and EPS Chief Dale McFee.

"Encampments are not a safe place and letting people overdose and freeze in the cold is not reconciliation."