Cleanup of illegal camps continues as rumours persist about their cause

Cold Lake, AB - Cold Lake continues its work to strike a balance between providing shelter and support for its vulnerable population while also providing for public safety by curbing illegal encampments, aggressive panhandling, and property crime.

Statistics provided by the Cold Lake John Howard Society show that the majority of the population living in the shelter and in camps around the city are from the City of Cold Lake and the immediate surrounding area.

"This is a societal issue that virtually every community across Canada is facing, and we are no exception in Cold Lake," Mayor Craig Copeland said.

While some of the local vulnerable population has come to Cold Lake from other communities throughout Alberta, the vast majority have stated that their last home was within Cold Lake or the surrounding region. The Cold Lake John Howard has had a total of 236 active clients with 75 using the shelter for the month of June. Most report that their last place of residence was in Cold Lake, the M.D. of Bonnyville, the Town of Bonnyville, Cold Lake First Nations or Elizabeth Metis Settlement.

"There is certainly a transient element with some people who are living rough that have come to our community from elsewhere, but these numbers are not high enough to justify rumours in the community that vulnerable people are being transported into Cold Lake, and that money is trading hands for this to happen," Copeland said. "Hard times and a lack of opportunities are pushing more people in a tenuous financial position or with untreated mental health issues into a very vulnerable place in our society. The same economic forces are challenging the resources of governments at all levels who are being called on to fix this issue. There is no easy solution."

To date, Peace Officers and RCMP officers have aided in the removal of 33 encampments and transported more than 11 tonnes (over 24,000 pounds) of camp materials to the landfill. Eighteen of the encampments were on private property while 15 were found on public property. But the camps keep coming back. At the same time, officers have been writing tickets where appropriate, but the justice system is challenged to deal with the workload it is facing. Crown prosecutors have expressed frustration with the City's assertiveness in working with local businesses to enforce bylaws and lay charges for various violations.

"Removing encampments is not a solution, but does act as a deterrent, especially to people who do not want help and who are bent on breaking the rules," Copeland said. "Enforcement has been tricky as camps can be hard to find or secluded. Often, a number of the people living there are armed, and drugs and alcohol are typically involved."

There are confirmed instances of some people living rough leaving the community due to the deterrents. Also, people living rough have been assisted in leaving Cold Lake when they have identified another community in which they have supports.

Copeland also expressed dismay at persistent rumours that have been circulating about the cause of vagrancy in the city.

"One of the biggest and most persistent rumours we hear is that the mayor or city council is accepting money in exchange for bringing in buses of people with nowhere else to go," Copeland said. "That's simply not true and there would be no way to hide it if it were. Any of our elected officials will tell you that homelessness and vagrancy have been at the top of people's minds and, if we could find a quick solution, we would. We certainly would not encourage more vagrancy, but we are limited in the tools we have to respond - human rights decisions have been rendered against municipalities who have taken action. An important balance must be struck. Everyone is trying to do their best in a very difficult situation."

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