Downtown business group recommends steps to make Edmonton ‘safest major city in Canada’

The Downtown Revitalization Coalition has released a list of recommendations it hopes will help make the city's core safer.

A group of more than 40 organizations representing the downtown core is envisioning steps both council and the province could take to make Edmonton the safest major city in Canada.

The Downtown Revitalization Coalition (DRC) released a list of recommendations to city council for better ways to address public safety in the inner city. Their approach is two-pronged: create safer public spaces and more effective crisis response.

DRC Chair Cheryll Watson said the recommendations are effectively cost-free to the taxpayer.

“A lot of these solutions rely on existing programs, but making them more efficient, bringing them together, connecting them. There’s not really a bunch of new ideas in here. This is really just about making the system more efficient,” she told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday.

Some of these efficiencies include co-ordinating transit officer, peace officer and Edmonton Police Service (EPS) activations and patrol schedules. Currently, Watson explained, each service relies on separate systems.

The DRC also recommends creating an Accountable Crisis Response System which would establish a 24-hour stabilization and transfer facility built on the expansion of already existing crisis diversion teams in the city.

“Oftentimes, we come across individuals downtown that are in distress, and right now, there’s nowhere that these people can go to stabilize themselves or be in a monitored situation … so we are calling for a place where these individuals can go … rather than incarceration or left on the streets,” she said.

The DRC’s new recommendations come during an ongoing push to bring people back to the downtown core’s businesses and restaurants.

Chad Helm, who operates The Helm Clothing on 103 Street, said it’s not uncommon to see broken windows in the parking lots near his business after a rowdy game night at Rogers Place.

“The math is really not working in favour of us building a vibrant business-filled street-level retail environment where people can come and go and enjoy the downtown core,” he said. “As it is now, there’s a lot of hesitation to open new businesses.”

While he doesn’t think the DRC’s recommendations are unrealistic – “Why not?” he said – he does think the effort would have to be sustained long-term in order to bring back much-needed vibrancy to Edmonton.

Area city councillors say they’re on the same page, although the city may not hold the levers for each approach.

Ward O-day’min Coun. Anne Stevenson said striving to be the safest downtown in Canada is “achievable,” but required a lot of integration between patrols and safety partners in the private and public sectors.

“In Edmonton, we have had the integrated care centre that was put out by the EPS to provide a space for folks who were maybe a danger to themselves or to others when they were under the influence,” she said. “To have a place for those folks to go, which is not jail, I think that is a positive thing.”

From a city council perspective, she said budget increases to EPS and peace officer contingents are already in play.

Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz said rejuvenating the downtown core requires city leaders to address the root causes of poverty, homelessness or drug-related distress – and get the province on board.

“It’s great that they’re doing it, but I think that I would posit that they need to bring it to the legislature and the premier, not to the mayor. We already agree,” he said of the DRC plan.

Alberta mental health and addictions minister Rick Wilson told reporters he already had some of Edmonton’s core needs on his mind.

“We need to do a focused approach with Edmonton, and I’m looking forward to working with the mayor. He’s a great guy,” Wilson said at the legislature Wednesday.

The DRC’s policy does call for stronger co-ordination between municipal, provincial and federal levels of government on addiction, housing and justice responses.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Connor Hogg