Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack’s first motion aimed to address public safety by creating more daytime spaces for homeless people, particularly in response to concerns about individuals being pushed into public spaces like libraries and parks. The motion, which passed unanimously, allocated $1 million from an existing city fund to create additional day shelters. While Knack sees this as a quick response, he acknowledged that it is only a partial solution and called for additional funding from other levels of government.
The provincial government, according to the Ministry of Social Services, has stated that providing daytime shelter spaces is the city’s responsibility. Edmonton currently has around 1,748 daytime shelter spaces, but there are 1,866 people either unsheltered or staying in emergency shelters. The city’s administration noted that daytime-only shelter spaces are a “jurisdictional grey area,” with the province pushing for 24/7 emergency shelters, which may not be ideal for daytime use.
While this $1 million funding is seen as a temporary solution, Knack and Councillor Erin Rutherford emphasized the need for longer-term financial commitment and support, with Rutherford calling for multi-year funding to avoid past issues of one-time allocations. Knack indicated that the motion signals a commitment to tackling homelessness over the next four years.
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