Edmonton looking into pilot for small, city-sanctioned homeless encampments
CBC
Edmonton is considering managing encampments this summer as part of its efforts to address homelessness.
A motion directing administration to prepare a report on small-scale sanctioned encampments passed city council Monday by a vote of 11-2.
Coun. Anne Stevenson, who made the motion, said earlier that day that managed encampments could be one more tool in the city's toolbox.
"Our current encampment response really just leads to a cycle of encampments being moved, and then coming back — within hours, often," she said.
"So it's not really serving the folks who are living in the encampments or the surrounding businesses and residents as well."
The Ward O'Day-min councillor said she envisions the camps as much smaller than the Camp Pekiwewin site two years ago, numbering between only five and ten tents. The possibility — and preference by some councillors — for temporary structures was also raised during council deliberation.
The intent would be to connect people with service providers and get them into supportive housing units, Stevenson said.
The city is planning to bring a number of supportive housing units online this summer: five modular buildings between July and September and the converted former Old Strathcona Days Inn between July and August.
Administration is expected to return a report on options for a pilot in two weeks, which will include funding requirements and recommendations.
Administration previously made a recommendation against sanctioned encampments in April.
A jurisdictional review found managed encampments don't prevent people from camping elsewhere nor do they help provide services to vulnerable people, according to the report. Cities that have tried them found they create larger problems with safety, sanitation and conflict with neighbours.
Stevenson said operating the small-size camps as a bridge to supportive housing provides an exit strategy and would help mitigate the risk.
"I'm hoping it can be a win-win."
City Manager Andre Corbould said administration had previously been thinking about encampments on a larger scale. Some service providers were uncomfortable with sanctioned encampments but one had recently asked about doing something small scale, he said.
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