City of Edmonton work crews dismantled three downtown-area homeless encampments the city deemed high risk between Friday and Sunday. A body was discovered at the encampment near 94 Street and 106 Avenue Sunday, the same site where crews encountered an unrelated propane tank explosion.
The other sites to be dismantled included an encampment near Hope Mission on 106 Avenue, which was cleared out on Saturday. An encampment near Kinnaird Ravine was dismantled on Friday.
In total, 36 people were displaced from the three sites. In media releases posted each day, the city said it had removed 46 structures and cleared an estimated 4.6 Tonnes of belongings left behind by displaced folks.
The city tallied 21 propane tanks, 20 shopping carts, and 110 needles that it recovered from the three sites.
A December court order paved the way for the city to clear the encampments under conditions which include offering residents 48-hour notice, ensure shelter space is available, and give consideration to weather conditions. That court order expires Thursday.
While the cleanup campaign is led by city crews, Edmonton Police Service has been standing by to provide backup when needed.
Below: A photo of debris left at a homeless encampment posted to Flicker by Eco Bear Biohazard Cleaning Company.
