Lethbridge city council approves encampment strategy
Global News
Developed in partnership with the Lethbridge Police Service, The city's homeless encampment strategy includes a three-tiered response it calls an outreach-focused approach.
After homeless encampments surged in size last summer, the City of Lethbridge, Alta., has a new plan it’s hoping will proactively address the issue.
“Getting out there, engaging with individuals before it becomes 3, 4, 5 tents and becomes entrenched,” said city general manager of community social development Andrew Malcolm.
City council approved the encampment strategy on Tuesday.
Developed in partnership with the Lethbridge Police Service, it includes a three-tiered response the city calls an outreach-focused approach.
The first tier is for inactive sites needing cleanup. The second manages small, active sites where no immediate health or safety risks are present with an initial outreach-led, housing-focused response.
Sites with three or more structures or declared high-risk will be considered tier three and prioritized for enforcement-led closure.
“Hopefully when we have these different organizations all working collaboratively, we’ll have results,” said Mayor Blaine Hyggen.
According to LPS Sgt. Ryan Darroch, six encampments have already been cleaned up in 2023.