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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

Big win for Alberta and Canada: Statement from Premier Smith

Published on April 2, 2025

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Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:

“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.

“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.

“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.

“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.

“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.

“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”

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Alberta

Energy sector will fuel Alberta economy and Canada’s exports for many years to come

Published on April 2, 2025

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From the Fraser Institute

By Jock Finlayson

By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.

Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.

In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.

Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.

The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.

Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.

Jock Finlayson

Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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