Homeless camp fire renews Edmonton councillor’s call for supportive housing

History appears to be repeating itself in Edmonton’s river valley.

On Tuesday night, fire crews responded to Louise McKinney Park to what Edmonton Fire Rescue Services described as “an urban makeshift camp in a treed area next to a closed wooden staircase.”

They found tarps, tents, blankets, shopping carts, as well as garbage and debris. No one was injured, and EFRS crews confiscated three propane tanks.

Start to finish, the whole event was taken care of in less than an hour.

“Crews were able to contain the fire to the camp itself. There were no reported injuries and only minor damage to the nearby staircase. The cause of this fire is undetermined,” EFRS said in a statement.

For Councillor Scott McKeen, this is a continuation of his ongoing call for supportive housing that so far has gone unanswered by the province.

“I’m frustrated. Really frustrated,” he said in a phone interview Thursday with Global News. “We had fires in Dawson Park last year and propane tank explosions and what I was hearing in talking to residents living nearby was legitimate stories of trauma. Kids being afraid of going to sleep at night in fear that their house was going to burn down.”

He said it’s another example of why individuals need to be treated for the mental health problems they’re experiencing, and how housing and treating them will save taxpayers money.

“I want to shake society and wake it up when I think of the stupidity of this dysfunctional cycle.”

The city has changed how it is dealing with the homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic, using its Encampment Response Team, in partnership with Homeward Trust, Boyle Street Community Services and Bissell Centre.

“The Encampment Response Team is aware of this encampment,” it said in a statement. “It is one of around 80 encampments requiring cleanup at this time. Encampment cleanup requires staff with specialized training and skills to minimize risk associated with biohazards and discarded needles. Our crews address encampments requiring cleanup as quickly as possible.

“In order to support chronically homeless individuals and reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, the Encampment Response Team has temporarily paused enforcement of encampments on some public land, is providing information and resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and is screening unsheltered individuals for symptoms.

“However, if occupied encampments pose significant health and safety risks to the individuals and surrounding community, the encampments will be cleaned up.”

During the pandemic the Expo Centre on the Exhibition Lands is being used as a day shelter where services are provided. Temporary transitional housing has been obtained in the Coliseum Inn, and an overnight shelter is at the Kinsmen Field House not too far from where the fire erupted. Shuttle buses move the individuals between the sites.

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The city said it has its cleanup operations staff work with peace officers to make sure occupants adhere to Alberta Health Services guidelines. They are also mapping any encampments that pop up beyond the 80 they already know about, where crews are brought in to investigate and eventually remove.