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Housing and homelessness
How should the city address encampments?
Context:
The City of Edmonton's Encampment Response Team (ERT) works in partnership with housing agencies and the police to determine whether encampments are low or high risk and what further action is taken. In 2020, the ERT received more than 4,000 complaints about encampments and dismantled 1,477. In April 2021, city council endorsed a new encampment strategy intended to ensure a housing-focused, compassionate response.
Candidate responses
A total of 67 candidates have responded to the survey. Here's how they answered this question:
a) The current policy towards encampments is acceptable
Candidates that selected this response:
Gino Akbari Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
Gabrielle Battiste Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
Adrian Bruff Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
James Cameron Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Tim Cartmell Councillor
Candidate in
pihêsiwin
Jon Dziadyk Councillor
Candidate in
tastawiyiniwak
Bev Esslinger Councillor
Candidate in
Anirniq
Susan Field Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Jasbir Singh Gill Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
Andy Andrzej Gudanowski Councillor
Candidate in
Dene
Sarah Hamilton Councillor
Candidate in
sipiwiyiniwak
Daniel Heikkinen Councillor
Candidate in
sipiwiyiniwak
Liz John-West Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Scott Johnston Councillor
Candidate in
Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi
Harman Singh Kandola Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
Andrew Knack Councillor
Candidate in
Nakota Isga
James Kosowan Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Kim Krushell Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Caroline Matthews Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Salar Melli Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Lana Palmer Councillor
Candidate in
Dene
Aaron Paquette Councillor
Candidate in
Dene
Amarjeet Sohi Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Diana Steele Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Steven Townsend Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Byron Vass Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Cheryll Watson Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Steve Weston Councillor
Candidate in
Nakota Isga
Jo-Anne Wright Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
b) Encampments should be allowed if there are no better housing options available
Candidates that selected this response:
Ahmed 'Knowmadic' Ali Councillor
Candidate in
tastawiyiniwak
Haruun Ali Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Moe Banga Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
Cody Bondarchuk Councillor
Candidate in
tastawiyiniwak
Mark Davies Councillor
Candidate in
Anirniq
Giselle General Councillor
Candidate in
sipiwiyiniwak
Kirsten Goa Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Naima Haile Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
Rhiannon Hoyle Councillor
Candidate in
Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi
Michael Janz Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Glynnis Andrea Lieb Councillor
Candidate in
Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi
Cori Longo Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Mukesh Makwana Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
Sanjay Malhotra Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
Mohammed Migdaddy Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
Jon Morgan Councillor
Candidate in
Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi
Guiscela Perez Arellano Councillor
Candidate in
pihêsiwin
Charan Saggu Councillor
Candidate in
Karhiio
Ashley Salvador Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Rashpal Sehmby Councillor
Candidate in
Sspomitapi
Keren Tang Councillor
Candidate in
Karhiio
Shamair Turner Councillor
Candidate in
Karhiio
Joshua Wolchansky Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
c) Encampments should be dismantled immediately
Candidates that selected this response:
Jason Carter Councillor
Candidate in
Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi
Tony Caterina Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
Abdul Malik Chukwudi Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Rick Comrie Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Michael Oshry Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Jennifer Rice Councillor
Candidate in
Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi
Tricia Velthuizen Councillor
Candidate in
Dene
d) I don't have a position on this issue
Candidates that selected this response:
Abdulhakim Dalel Councillor
Candidate in
Métis
Brian (Breezy) Gregg Mayor
Candidate in
City Wide
Scott Hayes Councillor
Candidate in
sipiwiyiniwak
Erin Rutherford Councillor
Candidate in
Anirniq
Candidates that skipped this question:
Derek Hlady Councillor
Candidate in
sipiwiyiniwak
Tarcy Schindelka Councillor
Candidate in
papastew
Anne Stevenson Councillor
Candidate in
O-day'min
Voter responses
Based on the first 16,000 responses to our 2021 survey, here's how voters answered this question:
Overall
By ward
Note: Taproot excluded surveys with fewer than two answers from these results. It was possible for voters to fill out the survey multiple times, but unlikely at a large scale given the structure of the survey. Voters were not able to select "I don't have a position on this issue".