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Alberta

City of Edmonton shuts down eighth homeless encampment after insuring space for occupants in warm shelters

Published

1 year ago

6 minute read

New release from the City of Edmonton

Closure of eighth high-risk encampment proceeds; court deliberations about future response activity continue
Additional requirements will continue to apply to the City’s response to eight high-risk homeless encampments while the Court considers questions of rights and public safety.
Court Hearing
Today, Justice Martin extended the conditions of the interim interim injunction to Tuesday, January 16. In addition to the City’s existing protocols, the Order requires the City to include the following considerations as part of its assessment and decision making process for eight high-risk encampment closures:
  • Before clearing the encampments, City and/or the Edmonton Police Service will make sure there is sufficient shelter space or other indoor space;
  • If there is not enough space, officers will close only if a danger to public health and safety;
  • City will consider the cold weather in decision making;
  • City will advise agencies at earliest convenience about closure;
  • Order does not impact ongoing wellness checks by City staff or fire services;
  • 48 hour notice will be given again to residents; and
  • Notice to include reason, date
Deliberations at today’s court hearing involved reviewing legal matters about representation and standing in the courts and whether particular evidence should be allowed.
Court deliberations continue on January 11 and January 16.
High-risk encampment closure at 95th Street and 101A Avenue
The scheduled closure and cleaning of a high-risk encampment in the vicinity of 95th Street and 101A Avenue resumed today. This is the last of eight sites subject to the conditions of the interim Order and the closure was in full compliance with the City’s obligations, including providing advance notice to social agencies.
An encampment may be assessed as high risk where there is a serious risk of injury or death due to fire, carbon monoxide poisoning, drug use, gang violence, physical violence including weapons, public health and/or sanitation risks, environmental degradation and/or criminal activity. It is also assessed based on its proximity to local amenities including schools and playgrounds, the number of people and structures in the encampment, if the location has previously been an encampment site and how long it has been in place.
This encampment meets several of these criteria and was the site of a serious sexual assault on December 16, 2023.
The extremely cold weather increases the already high risk of injury and death due to fire. In 2023, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responded to 135 fires in encampments resulting in 22 injuries and three fatalities. In the last week two fires have led to injuries and one propane tank has exploded at encampment sites.
Edmonton Fire Rescue Services reminds Edmontonians that open flames or heating elements situated too close to combustibles can start fires. With regard to propane tanks:
  • Propane cylinders should not be exposed to open flames.
  • Leaking cylinders can easily ignite and heated cylinders can explode.
Encampment Closure Facts – as of  4:00 p.m. Wednesday
Prior to today’s closure and cleanup, the City received confirmation from the Government of Alberta that there is sufficient shelter capacity for any individuals leaving the site who wish to access shelters. With the activation of the City’s extreme weather response this week, 50 shelter spaces at the Al Rashid Mosque were added. Additionally, 49 spaces opened at NiGiNan’s Pimatisiwin site (former Sands Hotel) and Enoch opened 10 additional spaces at the former Coliseum Inn site.
City crews will continue to clean the site as the day progresses. As a result, some of the information provided below is subject to change:
  • Encampment location – in the vicinity of 95th Street and 101A Avenue
  • Number of structures – 7
  • Number of occupants -5
  • Instances of medical aid provided -0
  • Arrests – 3 people were arrested and charges are pending by EPS
  • Tickets Issued – 0
  • Warrants executed – 0
  • Cleaning data
  • Truckloads/ kg waste removed – 21 truckloads (roughly 2,000 kg)
  • Needles – tbd
  • Shopping Carts – 7
  • Propane tanks – 31
  • The REACH 24/7 Crisis Diversion Teams were on site to provide transport and support as needed.
  • Today, as with other days, we considered the weather conditions in our decision. The increased risk of frostbite, hypothermia and injury from fire were important factors in the decision to proceed with action.
  • The extreme weather protocol activates enhanced supports for vulnerable Edmontonians including additional 50 shelter spaces at the Al Rashid Mosque.
  • Even with available shelter space, some Edmontonians experiencing homelessness may sometimes choose not to go to shelters.
Future Closures
Today’s closure is the last of the eight high-risk sites subject to the Order. The City continues to receive encampment complaints, and will continue to assess the risk of encampment sites as they are identified.
This is all the information the City is able to provide at this time.
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Alberta

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Media Roundtable from Washington

Published on January 21, 2025

By

From the YouTube channel of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith

Members of the media join Premier Danielle Smith for a round table on January 21, 2025.

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Alberta

Is There Any Canadian Province More Proud of their Premier Today…

Published on January 21, 2025

By

Yakk Stack  By Sheldon Yakiwchuk

 

Prior to Trumps inauguration event and announcement was made that Trump would not be imposing the 25% tariffs…

Which means, Canada seriously dodged a bullet here.

And while the Liberals will most likely frame this as, their success in showing, Bad Orange Man, that they’re tough and ready to burn down what is left of our economy, throwing Alberta under the bus, first…through a nuclear option…

Premier Smith rode this challenge out like the true champion we knew that she would be.

It’s hard to say if this was a legality matter in the grander scheme…or if the 25% tariffs would have truly been as big of an impact on the US…

One thing is clear, however…

Smith was ready to go to the tables with the Trump administration and opt for diplomacy over threats…which should be what we expect from our leaders.

And should these 25% tariffs have gone through…I’m more than sure a Plan B would have been brought out in civil conversations, over screeching rhetoric.

“She’s treasonous”, they screeched.

“She’s supporting her friends in Oil and Gas”, they relent.

“She should put Canada first”, they echo…

And let’s just address these…

Is Walmart beholden to Campbells soup? Fruit of the Loom? Kraft?

Or does Walmart sell products that helps keep their doors open?

Walmart is not beholden to any product…just like Premier Smith isn’t. We have 26% of our GDP – the largest portion – owed to Alberta O&G, something that we have a limited trade partner with, due to the Liberal – Anti-Alberta/Anti-O&G/Anti-Pipeline attitude that wants to spend us further in debt with unreliable and expensive “Renewables”.

What does Alberta get from renewables?

A higher cost for energy, in an affordability crisis, created by the same people who continue to push them…sounds like a terrible deal, for Albertans, and something a true leader would Not Favor.

When Walmart sits down to hash out a deal with Heinz, are they committing treason because they haven’t shown their allegiance to their own, ‘Great Value’ brand Ketchup?

No…other provinces have their own industries and resources, which they are free to continue developing independent of the federal government, as is suitable and supportive of their own economies…Alberta isn’t competing with them, nor Canada as a whole.

Alberta through industry and resource, actually supports Canada through a grand imbalance on “Equalization Payments”…

Image

As do we through paying 50% more into the Canada Pension Plan, than we actually get out of the Canada Pension Plan…to the tune of a $334 Billion Dollars.

And as for this “Team Canada”, horseshit…

The title Premier of Alberta, should hold some clues as to who Premier Smith should be advocating for…as she is the Premier of Alberta and Not the Prime Minister, nor leader in the Liberal Party that has created this fiasco, to begin with.

Rail, as they may…other provinces can’t cast a vote in her support, either way…

None of the other provinces, through Members of Parliament, nor through Premiers, came to support Alberta and our economy through a number of Federal Bills that railed on our provincial resources…

Worse yet…these hypocrites cash cheques from our province, while telling us how to diversify our economy…to which I’d state one thing unequivocally…

If we wanted to be a Have Not Province…like you are…we’ll come and ask you for your advice.

Until then…

I’ll hold my Alberta Flag Higher than my Canadian…

And be proud today, of having the only Premier in the country of Canada, worthy of any praise today!

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