The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo alongside several community agencies continue to proactively address homelessness with goals of providing safe, supportive housing to those staying in encampments and strengthening public safety.
“While some challenges remain, our shared community efforts are seeing success. Over several months, we have relocated over 20 people staying in encampments to safe, supportive housing,” said Edna Olsen-Moman, Executive Director, Salvation Army. “It takes time, but we continue to work with the Municipality and other partners to safely and compassionately close encampments.”
This summer, 27 encampment sites have been closed, mainly in downtown Fort McMurray. At present, some active encampments are being monitored and community outreach is continuing to support people living rough to offer them housing.
This shared response to homelessness and encampments is a collaborative approach with numerous partner agencies, including Wood Buffalo Wellness Society, Salvation Army, Centre of Hope and the Wood Buffalo RCMP.
Aaron Anderson, Manager of Bylaw Services, emphasized that the goal is not just to remove encampments, but to reduce homelessness and improve public safety.
“Encampment closures are not just about removing a site,” Anderson said. “They’re about providing safe, supportive housing to vulnerable individuals and reducing the likelihood of encampments being re-established.”
Once an encampment is reported, Bylaw Services and RCMP conduct an initial assessment, followed by outreach efforts to connect individuals with housing. After relocation, the site is closed and monitored to prevent reoccupation. Clean-up efforts are led by the Municipality, often in coordination with nearby property owners.
Residents are encouraged to report encampments through Pulse at 780-743-7000 or online at rmwb.ca/pulse. Anyone experiencing homelessness or at risk can also access housing referrals through the Coordinated Access System by contacting Pulse.
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