Alberta's government announced Tuesday the Edmonton Public Safety and Community Response Task Force which will address social issues through an immediately coordinated response between the province, city, and local partners..Addiction, homelessness and public safety issues have affected every community in Alberta, with Edmonton being especially hard hit as residents outcried on social media for leaders to address these issues..The task force will 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 as part of a $187-million commitment to address addiction and homelessness in Alberta’s urban centres..In Edmonton, $63 million of this funding will go toward dramatically increasing access to addiction services and supports over the next two years, and $19 million has been allocated to combat homelessness..“Addiction has become one of the most urgent social issues facing our province, and one of the most complex," Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Nicholas Milliken said.."This task force will bring community partners together to implement a series of recovery-oriented initiatives, enhancing public safety and improving addiction and mental health care in Edmonton.”.The initiatives the task force is responsible for implementing will help provide more life-saving services to Edmontonians struggling with addiction and homelessness while enhancing public safety within the city..This work will include:.further increasing addiction treatment capacity in Edmontonproviding addiction and mental health treatment programs in correctional centrescreating a hybrid health and police hubexpanding medical detox servicesbuilding harm reduction and recovery outreach teamsexpanding access to emergency shelter space.There are more than 28,000 visits per year to emergency departments in Alberta hospitals by patients of no fixed address. The vast majority of those patients are being discharged from emergency departments back into homelessness with little or no support..“Addiction impacts a person’s well-being and drives them to do things that put themselves and others at risk," Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis said.."I saw this first hand during my time with the Calgary police. By bringing all the key community members together, we can build trust within the community which will result in better public safety. Open-air drug use will not be tolerated.".Task force members are:.Nicholas Milliken, minister of Mental Health and AddictionMike Ellis, minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services (chair)Jeremy Nixon, minister of Seniors, Community and Social ServicesRebecca Schulz, minister of Municipal AffairsChief Billy Morin, Enoch Cree NationChief Isaac A. Laboucan-Avirom, Woodland Cree First NationTim Cartmell, pihêsiwin Ward councillor, City of EdmontonSarah Hamilton, sipiwiyiniwak Ward councillor, City of EdmontonDale McFee, chief of police, Edmonton Police ServicesKerry Bales, senior program officer, Provincial Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health ServicesGraeme McAlister, associate executive director, EMS Operations, Alberta Health Services Edmonton ZoneSusan McGee, chief executive officer, Homeward TrustAlso invited, pending City of Edmonton approval:Andre Corbould, city manager, City of EdmontonJoe Zatylny, fire chief, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services.“We’ve heard from communities across Alberta about the need for a collaborative approach to help address issues of addiction and mental health," Minister of Municipal Affairs Rebecca Schulz said.."Our government is committed to building strong, resilient communities, and we are happy to be working in partnership with local leaders and organizations to deliver support to Albertans who need it.”.The chief of police for the Edmonton Police Service (ESP) applauded the creation by Alberta's government..“This is a broad, integrated partnership that reaches across jurisdictions and departments and holds a foundational belief that community wellness must be built in tandem with community safety," Dale McFee, chief of police at EPS said.."The integrated approach here was called for across the province’s housing, mental health, and addiction and human trafficking task forces. It is essential leadership if we are going to unpack the multi-layered issues impacting those dealing with addiction, mental health, and homelessness, and I am pleased to see the province move forward with this urgent work.”.The Western Standard asked the chief if open meth and heroin use was socially accepted in this city as residents navigate through drug users who have taken over the LRT system.."This approach will be taking action," McFee said.."Meth describes the violence in our city and I don't think you have to walk a block to see someone using meth. It's encouraging to see our government take action.".Albertans experiencing addiction or mental health challenges can contact 211 for information on services in their community..The task force will meet for the first time on December 13.
