Edmonton Convention Centre to be temporarily used to house homeless people

On Friday afternoon, the City of Edmonton announced a new step being taken to address its commitment to ending homelessness in Alberta’s capital, declaring that the Edmonton Convention Centre in the city’s downtown will be used as a temporary accommodation site during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic created a gap in services and increased the number of people falling into homelessness each month,” interim city manager Adam Laughlin said in a news release.

“This temporary facility provides those people with safety, services, and a pathway to permanent housing.”

READ MORE: Edmonton mayor asks province for $17M in annual funding for supportive housing services 

The city has been ramping up efforts to address the homelessness issue in recent weeks after large encampments were established in the Rossdale and Old Strathcona areas.

According to the city, there are about 2,000 people without a place to live in Edmonton, and about 600 of those are sleeping outside or “unsheltered” on any given night.

Earlier this week, Mayor Don Iveson announced the city plans to use $8 million from Edmonton’s share of federal restart funding to open and run a new centre to support homeless and vulnerable people by the end of the month.

READ MORE: Edmonton announces new $8M city-run homeless centre will open by end of October

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“As operators of an important community asset, we need to be open to pivoting our business to support our community and vulnerable populations as we navigate this pandemic together,” Arlindo Gomes, vice-president of venue management for Explore Edmonton, said Friday.

“We have prepared our venues to welcome guests while adhering by strict health and safety standards and all Government of Alberta requirements.”

The Edmonton Convention Centre on Jasper Avenue near 97 Street — formerly known as the Shaw Conference Centre — contains several halls typically used for concerts, conferences, large parties and meetings.

“Given the size of our venue and our recent experience hosting an activation of this scope and scale at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, we are confident that the Edmonton Convention Centre will be a safe space for those experiencing homelessness.”

READ MORE: Edmonton-based groups call for new day shelter, more supports after EXPO Centre drop-in closure 

While some details are yet to be finalized, the city said the convention centre shelter will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will be operated by community agencies in the city already experienced in working with homeless people.

“Up to 300 people overnight and up to 400 people during the day will be able to access the space, which will open at the end of October and remain in operation until March 31, 2021,” the city said in its news release on Friday.

People who use the facility will be given a warm place to sleep, daily meals, access to washrooms, showers and storage.

Watch below: Some Global News videos about homelessness in Edmonton.

2:36 Edmonton’s new homeless housing to incorporate best practices from previous facilities

• Edmonton’s new homeless housing to incorporate best practices from previous facilities
• Edmonton mayor addresses social disorder concerns with homeless housing
• Edmonton mayor announces new housing facility to replace homeless camps over the winter
• Social disorder and homelessness in Edmonton
• An insiders view of the Camp Pekiwewin Rossdale homeless encampment
• Edmonton mayor hears homeless camp demands, says no obligation to meet them
• Old Strathcona homeless camp told to move
• Edmonton part of national call to repurpose hotels, motels to address homelessness before winter
• How is the city preparing to move homeless Edmontonians into supportive housing?
• ‘People need stable housing’: Iveson on push for federal homeless supports
• Iveson calls for immediate action on homelessness from province, Ottawa
• Social disorder highlights need to speed up Edmonton’s homelessness plan
• UCP government provides financial boost for homeless shelters, community organizations
• Kinsmen Sports Center, Central Lions Recreation Centre used for homeless shelter overflow
• How peace officers are interacting with homeless on Edmonton transit
• Homeless people on transit because there’s nowhere else to go: City of Edmonton

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