Concerns among Calgarians received by the city over homeless encampments have jumped dramatically this year, say officials who oversee the vulnerable population.
As of Oct. 1, 6,701 request for service calls were made through 311 regarding encampments — a 24 per cent jump over the first nine months of 2023 and nearly seven times the number in 2018.
There are between 80 and 250 encampments at any one time throughout the city, ranging from a single person with a tent or other structure to multiple people, said community standards inspector Sue Wall.
But while the city doesn’t tally the exact numbers of the sites where people choose to “sleep rough” outdoors, the increasing number of 311 calls about them in recent years doesn’t necessarily mean they’re exploding in numbers, she said.
“We’ve done a lot more exposure of information around homeless encampments and illegal camps . . . we’re kept busy certainly during the warmer months,” said Wall.
“People are seeing that and we do encourage people to call so we’re able to locate the encampment, speak to those people and get them the resources they want.”
The city’s Vulnerable Persons Team that assists those sleeping outdoors was increased 18 months ago from one to three units of two officers each, said Wall.
That expansion was aimed at speeding up the response to service requests, which can lead to the dismantlement of encampments if safety concerns warrant it, she said.
“We do get a lot of compliance from individuals we reach out to. We’ll speak to those individuals to see what their immediate needs are, to get resources for them,” said Wall, whose teams work with members of the Alpha House social agency.
There are a host of reasons people sleep outdoors, including housing affordability issues, substance abuse, fear of emergency shelters or an inability to access them, she said.
The difficulties and suffering they endure should be acknowledged by Calgarians, said Wall, as should the challenges faced by those who assist them.
“You’re seeing people in their most vulnerable moments,” she said.
Most of the encampments are found in the city’s downtown or inner city, said Wall, though they’ve been spreading to Calgary’s suburban areas.
One area on the city’s edge that’s been grappling with an influx of unhoused Calgarians is Rocky Ridge-Royal Oak, where many residents have objected to Journey Church hosting a daytime warming centre during the winter for the past two years, and a summer drop-in hub in 2024.
Clients are offered food and sleeping mats during daylight hours, and receive other assistance.
Following a Sept. 5 town hall meeting at the church, community members raised numerous concerns over safety issues and how their worries were being addressed, including how their neighbourhood is bearing the brunt of wider social problems.
“Journey Church’s focus on the unhoused may be at the expense of addressing community safety and health concerns,” reads a summary of residents’ concerns.
“Community members worry that Journey Church may not fully understand or manage the scale of these issues, potentially leading to worsening community relations and increased social disorder.
Rev. Jessica DiSabatino speaks at a townhall on homeless outreach programs Thursday night at Journey Church in northwest Calgary.
Residents have expressed concerns over where homeless individuals go after the church closes its doors in the late afternoon, drug use, what they say is increased crime and encampments that spring up in the area they suspect is related to its programs.
About 120 residents — most opposed to the initiatives — gathered in a Rocky Ridge community hall on Tuesday evening to again express their worries and find solutions.
“There are other social organizations . . . why doesn’t the church donate money to them to attend to their needs?” said resident Linda Turner.
“Why are we bringing (the homeless) to a residential community?”
But Ken Ball, who lives in nearby Arbour Lake and volunteers at the church to serve unhoused clients, said the issue is inescapable and it’s up to Calgarians everywhere to attend to it.
“There are many, many more homeless people in Arbour Lake — we’ve been going through this for many more years,” said Ball, a former Toronto police officer.
“This is the new normal for Calgary . . . I would love to see people volunteer.”
Church officials weren’t available to comment but have made it clear they intend to host a warming centre for a third winter, with funding from the Calgary Homeless Foundation and private donations.
They’ve pledged to hire security personnel, enforce a zero tolerance for encampments and drug use on their property, and eliminate hiding spots for rough sleepers.
Leaders of the Rocky Ridge-Royal Oak Community Association say police data shows the crime rate in the area remains among the lowest in the city amid the church’s outreach efforts.
While the community association hasn’t taken an official side on the issue, president Jason Kellock said some of the church’s proposals to ease residents’ anxieties seem promising, while others “need more thought.”
He also noted no poll has been conducted on residents’ views, and wonders whether if the church took the measures it’s proposed, “would people be as opposed?”
And he questioned the effect shutting down the church’s activities would have on the homeless issues there.
“It might not solve the problem in the community,” said Kellock.
Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp said churches hosting the city’s unhoused is hardly new, adding the issue has become citywide.
“Our city is seeing this everywhere, in other communities in my ward and along the CTrain lines,” she said.
Sharp said her office has been working with the community to address its concerns, adding there are valid questions about the scope of the church’s efforts and where its unhoused clients go after it closes its doors for the day.
But at the same time, she said “it’s super important we all be stewards in our communities and be compassionate.”
One homeless client who was at the church earlier this week said he understands residents’ concerns but insisted they’re largely unfounded.
“Thinking that just because a person doesn’t have a home that they’re violent is wrong . . . the person they’re afraid of might save their life,” said Peter, 64, who didn’t want to give his last name.
“People feel they’re being invaded but I don’t think much crime comes from here.”
The Calgary Homeless Foundation said its last point-in-time count conducted in 2022 found 2,782 people were experiencing some form of homelessness in the city, with 29 per cent of those unsheltered. Another tally will be done Oct. 10.
“The current state of homelessness in Calgary remains a pressing concern as we navigate an ongoing housing crisis marked by significant challenges, including housing affordability, availability, inflation, an opioid crisis, and mental-health and addiction challenges,” the foundation said in an email.
It’s collaborating with partner agencies to provide 400 warming centres throughout the city this winter, they said.
X: @BillKaufmannjrn