Council in the southern Alberta city of Lethbridge has taken a small step forward in dealing with homeless encampments after agreeing to seek development approval for an interim shelter.
The city has been struggling to permanently remove the camp sites, most notably a large one located near the community’s Civic Centre Park.
A week ago, using the Petty Trespassing Act, several tents were removed and the site was cleaned up, but nearly all have returned.
Lethbridge council approved a motion to proceed with steps to set up an interim sober shelter at the Civic Ice Centre.
“It does help those people who are currently living in encampments move out and move into an appropriate housing space where they can get the help and assistance that they need,” said deputy mayor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel, who introduced the motion.
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But not everyone was a fan of the proposed location for the interim shelter which is adjacent to the large encampment off 6 Avenue South.
The motion passed 6-2, with councillors Ryan Parker and John Middleton-Hope in opposition.
“By allowing that Civic Centre to go in the interim, I think it’s going to become a ghetto,” Parker expressed to the media, adding he believes the Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre would be a better place to focus their attention.
“We can help clean up this site and get these people in the appropriate location. Not in that area, but in the place we’ve already designated money, provincially and locally.”
Councillor Rajko Dodic was absent from Tuesday’s special council meeting.
City manager Lloyd Brierly says the administration feels the best solution is to have resources for all care, including shelter spaces, transitional and permanent housing and recovery.
Council was told by the city solicitor that it does not have the authority under the province’s Municipal Government Act to force homeless people to leave.
— With files from Eloise Therien, Global News
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