Edmonton homeless coalition urges city to establish sanctioned encampment sites
River Valley Conservation Coalition estimates 5,000 unhoused people in Edmonton but shelter space for only half. Council reviewed bylaw Monday as encampment enforcement continues.
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The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition is pushing the city to establish dedicated encampment sites with basic services—clean drinking water, washrooms, trash disposal, and safe needle sites—arguing that criminalization has failed the homeless population.
The ERVCC estimates Edmonton has roughly 5,000 unhoused people but indoor shelter space for only half of them. The coalition proposes at least one sanctioned site in the river valley, where many unhoused people already camp in the forest, and suggests shipping containers could serve as housing at such locations.
Kristine Kowalchuk, ERVCC chair, told council Monday: "People are going to camp. People are camping, so why criminalize them? Rather than criminalizing people, why not support them?" She called Edmonton's temporary shelter prohibition inhumane and pitched "piloting a few encampments where people are safe, where they're supported, where it's contained to a safe and serviced space."
Daniel Johnstone of the Can Man Dan Foundation told the Edmonton Journal the public spaces bylaw targets vulnerable populations. "The public spaces bylaw is anti-poor. It targets homeless people and it targets my people, which are Aboriginal people," Johnstone said. He challenged the logic of fining people with no income: "These people don't have money for rent, let alone groceries or new clothing. How on earth are they going to pay a ticket? It's criminalized poverty."
The city's encampment enforcement program remains active.
Chief Bylaw Officer David Jones cautioned that running a sanctioned encampment would cost roughly as much as operating a heated shelter, and flagged concerns that larger camps can become hotspots for gang activity. Mayor Andrew Knack resisted the encampment framing entirely, saying: "We should not be settling for figuring out the best version of keeping somebody on the street. I want a physical space we can take people to, right? Because in both of those scenarios those do not produce the ideal outcomes."
Councillor Jon Morgan requested a memo detailing the costs of removing an encampment. No vote was held Monday; the bylaw review continues.
What specific sites in the river valley would the city consider for sanctioned encampments, and has any neighborhood been consulted?
If running a sanctioned encampment costs as much as a heated shelter, why not expand shelter capacity instead?
How many of the 7,904 trespassing-ticket recipients have actually paid the $600 fine or completed court appearances?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
What basic services does the coalition propose for sanctioned encampment sites?
The Edmonton River Valley Conservation Coalition proposes clean drinking water, washrooms, trash disposal, and safe needle sites at sanctioned encampment locations.
What concern did the Chief Bylaw Officer raise about running a sanctioned encampment?
Chief Bylaw Officer David Jones cautioned that operating a sanctioned encampment would cost roughly as much as running a heated shelter and flagged concerns that larger camps can become hotspots for gang activity.
