For frequent readers, you’ll know that I normally use this column to share recent news from City Hall and to highlight positive investments happening in the community. Today I wanted to focus on a much more concerning issue, something that I know affects both Boyle Street and McCauley, and our city as a whole.

You may have recently seen video footage of provincial corrections vans dropping off released inmates in the Chinatown area. You, like me, may have been outraged to see that this practice is still going on, despite commitments made by the Province following the tragic murders of Ban Phuc Hoang and Hung Trang in 2022. These videos are concrete evidence that promises were broken.

The practice of dropping detainees is unsafe for our whole community. We know that the days after release are when individuals have the highest chance of falling into homelessness, being victimized, overdosing or relapsing, or re-offending. They need meaningful reintegration plans to help connect them to the services they need, for their safety and for the safety of local residents and businesses. 

While communities like McCauley and Boyle Street are most impacted, this is an issue across the entire city. It is beyond time for the province to take action. I will continue to advocate on this, and I encourage all of you to write to the Honourable Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services (pses.minister@gov.ab.ca), and your local MLA to share your concerns.

I take comfort in knowing that solutions to these challenges do exist. We have phenomenal not-for-profits that are supporting successful reintegration each and every day. Together we can work to make sure the needed resources and coordination are in place to make prisoners in parking lots a thing of the past.

Anne Stevenson, City Councillor for Ward O-day’min
Email: anne.stevenson@edmonton.ca
Phone: 780-496-8333