Health care and harm-reduction workers are among a group of advocates demanding Edmonton city council hold an emergency meeting about homeless encampments and to stop dismantling them immediately.

Calling the situation a “crisis,” signatories of an open letter to Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and council from Public Interest Alberta  — including local politicians, faith leaders, local business owners, and other Edmontonians and agencies — are calling for a moratorium on camp removals. City crews and police began work Dec. 29 to clear around 130 structures across eight sites deemed “high risk.” This followed a court injunction that restricted some elements of this action to include 48 hours’ notice and sufficient shelter space, among other rules. Read more →