Headlines: Jan. 10, 2024

Jan. 10, 2024 · The Pulse
By Mariam Ibrahim

The city is set to present its approach to encampments in court on Jan. 10 and 11 in response to a challenge from the Coalition for Justice and Human Rights. In a release, the city said its encampment response prioritizes the needs of unhoused Edmontonians while taking into account how encampments impact the broader community, adding that while numbers vary daily, excess shelter space has been available throughout 2023 and in 2024. The city said it will also present evidence in court about the negative impacts of encampments on the broader community, such as increased public complaints, environmental damage, and safety and fire concerns, while also highlighting its efforts to offer shelter and support to those displaced during ongoing closures.
The Coalition for Justice and Human Rights lost its bid on Jan. 9 to stop the removal of the eighth and final encampment identified as "high-risk" by the city and Edmonton Police Service. Justice Kent Davidson of the Court of King's Bench deferred any further decisions until hearings scheduled on Jan. 10 and 11. Residents of the encampment, located at 95 Street and 101A Avenue, refused to leave when approached by police and city workers on Jan. 9, and were later joined by advocates and supporters from the community. The scene turned tense in the afternoon as police arrested one person on site. The city said in a release that while its planned closure of the camp adhered to a December court order, it modified its plans "given the number of third parties onsite." Crews instead cleaned parts of the site, removing vacant structures and debris, but allowed occupied tents and their residents to remain.
The Edmonton Police Service held a technical media briefing on Jan. 9 to display a collection of weapons, including knives, swords, brass knuckles, and other items discovered inside an abandoned case at the Dawson Ravine encampment. Media also reported that police displayed graphic images of people killed in encampment fires, along with other safety hazards emergency crews and city workers have encountered while removing encampments. Deputy Chief Warren Driechel said police have so far taken down 120 structures affecting 100 people, and removed about 2,000 needles and 50,000 kilograms of waste.
City snow-clearing crews focused on major roads as Edmonton was hit with its first significant snowfall of the winter. The city aims to clear major roads, collector and bus routes, and industrial areas within five days, said Valerie Dacyk with the city's infrastructure field operations. Around 100 snowplows, sanders, and graders were out clearing snow and applying traction materials. Residential areas will be cleared once there is a five-to-10 centimetre snow pack.
Edmonton Transit Service has extended the validity of all 2023 adult, youth, and senior paper transit tickets, as well as Family/Day passes, to Dec. 31, 2024, as it continues its transition to the new Arc fare payment system. While paper tickets and passes will be phased out once the Arc payment system is fully implemented, ticket packs displaying the 2023 expiry date can still be purchased and used throughout 2024.
About 10% of Edmonton Police Service staff are currently on leave for various reasons, Chief Dale McFee told Postmedia in a December year-end interview. The police service is working to support its members through specialized reintegration programs and has partnered with Wounded Warriors Canada to provide additional mental health support. McFee said his priority is the well-being of officers, particularly those with psychological injuries, to ensure they can return to duty in good health.
The federal government announced nearly $7.3 million in funding to support 18 Alberta-based organizations to promote gender equality and combat gender-based violence. The support includes funding for several Edmonton-based organizations, including $400,000 for the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, $500,000 for the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association, $238,000 for the Queer and Trans Health Collective, and $394,050 for the Kaleo Collective. The funding is part of the Federal 2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan and the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
TELUS customers in parts of Edmonton and St. Albert experienced service outages on Jan. 9. A cut cable disrupted internet, TV, and landlines, though cellular service was unaffected. TELUS said it is working to restore services, though the number of affected people and the restoration timeline remained unclear.
The Edmonton Elks have released quarterback Taylor Cornelius and linebacker Adam Konar, the team announced Jan. 9. The Elks will open their 75th season with a game June 8 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at Commonwealth Stadium. Season tickets are on sale now.