The City of Edmonton said, in an effort to build a stronger, safer and more inclusive Edmonton, it has developed a Downtown Core and Transit System Safety Plan..The city said the plan summarizes the many ways the "city has responded—and will continue to respond—to ensure the health and safety of Edmontonians.".Edmonton’s total crime rate increased by 11.3% last year compared to 2021, while Edmonton’s overall violent crime rate rose by 16.5% in 2022..The plan involves tangible action on several components of community safety including:.• Identified need for a healthy streets operations centre.• Increased police presence.• Increased peace officers.• Amended conduct of transit passengers bylaw.• Increased response to encampments and problem properties.• Funded business security.• Funded community recovery.• Installed temporary public washrooms.• Completed safety audits.• Increased cleaning in parks, roads and alleys.• Funded opioid prevention and response.• Increased communications and coordination with businesses and social agencies.Edmonton’s total crime rate increased by 11.3% (+928 incidents) in 2022..The city’s crime severity has risen by 9%. This increase can be attributed to the increased number of break and enters, robberies and thefts under $5,000 from motor vehicles..The total number of citywide criminal incidents increased by 11.3% (+9819 incidents)..Of those incidents, those involving a knife increased by 9.8% (+83 incidents) and those involving the use of caustic spray increased by 11.5% (+89 incidents)..Incidents involving the use or presence of a firearm also increased by 25% (+82 incidents) in 2022. The city’s violent crime rate increased by 16.5% (+201 incidents)..The 31-page plan said the city is focused on ending homelessness, mental health issues, addictions and trauma along with increased enforcement, taking a broad perspective on safety and connecting with the community.."Responding to changing conditions are the key approaches," said the city.."Those approaches steered the city well in making operational and resourcing decisions before and during the pandemic, and they continue to guide decisions going forward."."The City is confident in the services it is delivering and committed to ongoing conversations about safety in high-priority communities.".READ MORE: EPS says violent crime on the rise in Edmonton.Between 2017 and 2019, 1,784 individuals were involved in 12,743 police occurrences after being arrested and released for an initial violent offence. Between 2020 and 2023, 3,647 individuals were involved in 19,186 police occurrences after being arrested and released for an initial violent offence..The city said it remains committed to finding the right balance between enforcement and support.."As initiatives are implemented, they will be monitored so that impacts are understood and addressed. It is possible, for example, that increased enforcement in Chinatown pushes social disorder into other communities," said the city..The city stated in the plan that the Government of Alberta has the responsibility to fund emergency shelters and transitional housing throughout the province.."Currently, there are approximately 634 permanently funded emergency shelter spaces in Edmonton compared to 1,758 spaces in Calgary," according to the document.."Immediate support from the Government of Alberta to provide Edmonton with the same level of support provided to Calgary will have an immediate impact in improving safety and well-being in Edmonton. The City is asking the Government of Alberta to immediately provide permanent funding for additional emergency shelter spaces in Edmonton.".The City of Edmonton said community safety and well-being is a shared responsibility.."The City of Edmonton is doing its part with limited resources. The city relies on property taxes, user fees, and provincial and federal government grants to cover the costs of providing services to Edmontonians," the city said in its document.
