How elections As the day approaches, some community members are calling for change in downtown Edmonton.
Downtown Revitalization Coalition calls on the next mayor to focus on making the streets safer for everyone. However, action must not only come from municipal leaders.
Chinatown Freecloud Records owner Richard Lucco is used to social unrest and crime. He stands for change.
“We're looking for any means, any support to try to make this a safe place for people,” said Lucco, also a member of the Edmonton Chinatown BIA.
Lucco says community policing has worked well with the area in the past.
They are hoping for another long-term solution that will allow this problem to take hold.
“If there's no support for small businesses and there's nowhere for people to run their businesses safely and securely, then people leave. It's very hard to bring people back once they've left,” Lucco said.
Long-term solutions are also a priority for the Downtown Revitalization Coalition.
The group says it is concerned about the impact of violent crime and repeat offenders on downtown businesses and residents.
They hope to see long-term solutions at the provincial and federal levels. Coalition Chair Cheryl Watson hopes candidates running for mayor and council will take the state of downtown safety seriously.
“Safety and the justice system is everyone's responsibility. This is a moment in time, really for leadership, this is a moment of leadership. I think all levels of government, including politicians, judges, prosecutors and police, need to come together to find solutions that will correct our current condition,” Watson said.
Global News reached out to Edmonton's leading mayoral candidates. they all recognized the need to work with the provincial and federal governments to enact changes to bail reform.
Tim Cartmell supports the coalition's plan and says the city needs more funding to keep its streets safe.
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“True safety depends on justice and health systems that hold violent and repeat offenders accountable while providing people in crisis with the treatment and support they need. It's time to end Edmonton's status as Alberta's prison capital and replace it with a justice system that delivers real results,” he said.
Omar Mohammad says his approach as mayor will be to focus on higher-level solutions, showing more compassion and stronger enforcement where it's needed most.
“I will work with our police service, the province and federal partners to create a high-frequency crime task force that will bring police officers, probation officers, prosecutors and the municipality to the same table,” Mohammad said.
According to Rahim Jaffer, his approach is to focus more locally: “What we know now is that more police officers patrolling our streets and communities reduces crime and criminality, and that is why I am committed to hiring 500 new police officers to reclaim our streets and make Edmonton safe for everyone.”
Michael Walters notes that bail should not be a “revolving door” for violent or repeat offenders.
“Decisions about bail must prioritize public safety, risk to victims and reoffending, rather than bureaucratic expediency. However, we cannot criminalize poverty, drug addiction or homelessness. For non-violent offenders, bail must be accompanied by real conditions that connect people to housing, mental health and drug support, not just they issue documents,” Walters said.
Andrew Knack says Edmonton has a tough job to do when it comes to correctional centers – there are several federal and provincial prisons in the region – and the city needs to free up police for serious crimes.
“I will press the federal government to reform the bail system and increase the capacity of the court system to make our streets safer, and I will advocate for support for programs that reduce re-offending, including drug services, housing, mental health support and community reintegration.”
Political scientist Haldeans Mensah says that while the new mayor may not be able to make changes to bail reform, he can be a strong advocate because he sees the consequences first-hand.
“The mayor and council have an important role to play in extending that influence to high-level policymakers,” Mensah said.
For Lucco, he hopes mayoral candidates will prioritize downtown and small businesses.
“They bring people to the area, they are destinations, they employ people, it gives you jobs, it gives you the economy, and if you lose, you have nothing left.”
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