Overview
The Edmonton Public Safety and Community Response Task Force was created in December 2022 to address the issues of addiction, homelessness and public safety, and build on the province’s recovery-oriented system of addiction and mental health care.
The task force will implement a series of initiatives in the Edmonton metropolitan region to combat homelessness and increase access to addiction services and supports. Funding for these initiatives is provided as part of government’s $187 million commitment to address addiction and homelessness in Alberta’s urban centres.
These actions will help provide more life-saving services to Edmontonians while enhancing public safety within the city.
Timeline
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Open
Task force work is ongoing.
Who is listening
Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction
Mandate
The Edmonton Public Safety and Community Response Task Force will implement initiatives to:
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further increase addiction treatment capacity in Edmonton
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provide addiction and mental health treatment programs in correctional centres
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create a hybrid health and police hub
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expand medical detox services
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build harm reduction and recovery outreach teams
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expand access to emergency shelter space
The task force is expected to operate until March 2023 and may be extended, if required.
Task force members
- Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction (chair)
- Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services
- Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
- Chief Cody Thomas, Enoch Cree Nation
- Tim Cartmell, pihêsiwin Ward councillor, City of Edmonton
- Sarah Hamilton, sipiwiyiniwak Ward councillor, City of Edmonton
- Dale McFee, chief of police, Edmonton Police Services
- Steve Clelland, senior program officer, Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services
- Andre Corbould, city manager, City of Edmonton
- Joe Zatylny, fire chief, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services
- Representative, EMS Operations, Alberta Health Services Edmonton Zone (to be confirmed)
Get help
- Albertans experiencing addiction or mental health challenges can contact 211 for information on services in their community.
- Albertans struggling with opioid addiction can contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program by calling 1-844-383-7688, 7 days a week, from 8 am to 8 pm daily. The program provides same-day access to addiction medicine specialists. There is no wait-list.
News
- Province deploys sheriffs to downtown Edmonton (February 1, 2023)
- Cabinet task force to tackle Edmonton social issues (December 13, 2022)