I recently attended a meeting along with other residents of the Boyle Street and McCauley neighbourhoods. The topic was raised by the City of Edmonton on the potential of placing a five year pause on funding any non-market housing in the community.

Boyle Street and McCauley are experiencing the effects of an oversaturation of services and aide agencies that have been noticed by anyone even remotely aware of the area. We find a very large number of the vulnerable population residing within a small geographic area. This population is in the area to access the resources that allow them to survive. This ranges from employment and housing services, to food hampers and soup kitchens, to shelters, to the harm reduction facilities offering clean needles and condoms.

These services are necessary to reach out to our most vulnerable population as a city. Unfortunately, the majority the city’s outreach is occurring in only a select few communities. This in turn brings a high concentration of individuals suffering from mental illness and addiction. This attracts those who prey upon this population: drug dealers, gang members, and slum landlords. These factors create an area where a high level of crime and disorder is common.

There have been initiatives within the Housing First model that have found this population dispersed throughout the city in a manner that promotes healthy communities and the personal well being of the individual being housed. Each community can sustain a certain amount of services and agencies. Some communities have been pushed well beyond this tipping point though. We are now found in a position where communities are standing up, saying they can no longer handle any more.

The city has heard your pleas. The proposed pause on funding of non-market housing for a five year period will provide the community with breathing room, allowing them to focus on healthy growth.

With this breathing room the community can re-establish itself, forming roots and creating positive change. The Edmonton Police, as a stakeholder in your community, would like to be involved in this change. As you go forward please do not hesitate to contact us for any questions, concerns, or feedback you require. If there is an opportunity for us to participate in any of the initiatives that come forth it would be welcomed.

With this breathing room the community can re-establish itself, forming roots and creating positive change.

On another note, I have been transferred to Alberta Avenue as their Community Liaison Constable. Cst. Paul Pilon will be taking my place. He can be reached at paul.pilon@edmontonpolice.ca. Another method of contact is through the community e-mail address, downtowncommunityD2@edmontonpolice.ca. This will ensure you are reaching whoever is the liaison for your community as every Community Liaison Constable has access to their own community’s e-mail account regardless of changes in position.

Cst. Pilon will be transitioning into my position over the next while. I will still be able to be contacted for any issues or concerns coming up – Cst. Pilon will become your primary contact though. This transition period will ensure Cst. Pilon is up to date on all of the topics of concern in the community.

I would like to thank you for all for the support over the two years that I have been in Boyle Street and McCauley. I have learned a lot from you and appreciate the time I was able to spend here.