Statement: New Shelter in Dominion Industrial

The number of people who are experiencing homelessness in Edmonton is at an all time high. I don’t want to mince words - people are dying and experiencing medical distress on our streets. We are also seeing increased need for housing with 1 in 8 residents experiencing challenges having safe, affordable, or appropriate housing. Unhoused Edmontonians need our compassion, our care and, most urgently, access to safe shelter. Emergency shelters are a critical lifeline that provide immediate relief.  

I know there is distrust, fear, and polarization that was exacerbated by the manner in which many of you found out about the new shelter in Dominion Industrial. I feel that the City’s lack of notifying the Dovercourt Community League about the public hearing was a misstep. While I voiced concerns about the lack of notification from the City and Hope Mission at the public hearing, I also acknowledge that I should have communicated with the community about the zoning decision once the public hearing was complete. For my error, I take full ownership and apologize. 

I did not support the rezoning decision on June 10th. However, the collective decision by the City Council determined at public hearing was that this site is appropriate. The rezoning decision is binding. 

The shelter site is funded by the provincial government and will be operated by Hope Mission. The site will provide 24/7 service with 120 beds for those in immediate need of shelter, as well as on-site health and housing support, storage facilities, and day programming. 

I understand that many of you still have questions, and my office continues to advocate to Hope Mission for better communication about the shelter operations and to share answers that the community is seeking. Once I have this information, I commit to sharing it immediately on my channels. 

Many have asked me about hosting a broader community meeting. Based on a number of experiences I’ve heard about from community members, and weighing the potential for this meeting to cause more harm, I will not be hosting this type of meeting. I remain available for one-on-one or small group conversations with anyone who would like to connect. I will also continue to answer questions as best I can via email. I also encourage you to continue to reach out to the Hope Mission directly at public.relations@hopemission.com for operational information and report community concerns to 311. 

Thank you for your understanding and empathy. Let’s be respectful of differences of opinion and be kind to one another.