'It could cost them their lives': Politicians react to cave used for shelter

A cave in Edmonton's river valley — once a place someone called home — has been fenced off.

The cave is located on McDougall Hill, just south of the Fairmont Hotel MacDonald, and was first discovered by an Alberta Sheriff.

Police said the cave was about five feet deep, 12 feet wide and had a steel plate covering the hole to enter it.

"The nine-year-old in me thinks it's really cool, the adult in me knows that it's actually extremely dangerous," said Aaron Paquette,Ward Dene councillor.

"We do not want individuals to be sleeping in man-made caves," said Jason Nixon, provincial minister of seniors, community and social services.

"It could cost them their lives," he added.

A warning sign at the site of a collapsed cave in Edmonton's river valley once used by a homeless person on March 12, 2024. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)Police believe the cave partially collapsed sometime in February. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services was called to the area on Feb. 21, but there was no one inside.

The individual who was living there is said to have been taken to the navigation centre days before.

"This confirms again that I believe the process that we're taking with the navigation centre is working," said Nixon.

According to the minister, 550 people have gone through the navigation centre and have received over 2,000 services. He said nearly 80 per cent of people affected by encampment closures have gone to the centre.

"The vast majority of those are ending up either in transitional housing, long-term housing, recovery housing and/or going into one of our shelter systems while they wait for other services," Nixon said.

The site of a collapsed cave in Edmonton's river valley once used by a homeless person on March 12, 2024. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)Paquette said an underground shelter highlights the work yet to be done to address homelessness.

"We're talking about people digging a cave in the river valley to live," Paquette said. "We obviously need more investment in the root causes of these things."

How the cave came to be is still unknown. Epcor said it does not appear to be connected to any of its former infrastructure.

Part of the cavity was filled in when the collapse happened. "The fill will be completed as soon as possible when the area is deemed accessible," an EPS spokesperson said in an email.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Evan Kenny