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I agree. IMO there hasn't been enough attention on solving this issue because most Calgarians are suburbanites who drive everywhere. To people who take transit or live around downtown, the issue is very noticeable.
I don't think you'll find disagreement there. Unfortunately, it's not something any municipality or province or even country has really been able to solve in the Western world. Without some level of draconian crackdown, it's just very difficult to resolve these issues. Part of what makes it seem worse is we are doing a good job revitalizing downtown - East Village, West End, Beltline, Olympic Plaza, such that many of the spaces where these people were out of sight before are gone. When they can't camp in the bushes of Olympic Plaza, they're going to be in the middle of Stephen Avenue. Not endorsing it either way, just that it's a complicated issue.
I worry if there doesn't start to be some kind of progress in cleaning this up, there will be growing calls for a draconian crackdown.
I only take transit 4 or 5 times a month via bus, and don't notice issues myself, but by far the biggest complaint of everyone I know who takes transit, is safety issues of the LRT and its stations. Literally every person I know who takes the LRT has these complaints, and I personally know a couple of people who avoid taking the LRT and drive in to downtown.
Wasn't the province considering forced treatment for lots of the drug addicts downtown? Haven't heard anything about that in some time now...
That day is... today!
calgary.citynews.ca
I respectfully disagree.
They're also spending $180M to build the treatment centres. I support these initiatives in principle. Safeguards need to be in place but these facilities are expensive to run, and have limited beds. It is very unlikely it'll be used as some quasi-detention facility for those that don't need it. We've all seen the people hallucinating on drugs, etc. yet we expect them to make the conscious, and in the short term, painful (withdrawal) decision to go the rehab? We expect parents and guardians to make decision for children. Many of these people have less faculties than a teenager. It is compassionate to help them in the long term despite their short term objections.That day is... today!
Alberta introduces new 'compassionate' addiction legislation
Alberta unveiled its plans Tuesday for addictions and drug treatment in the province, introducing a law first proposed in 2023.
calgary.citynews.ca
This is what makes me wonder how much street-level impact it will have.They're also spending $180M to build the treatment centres. I support these initiatives in principle. Safeguards need to be in place but these facilities are expensive to run, and have limited beds. It is very unlikely it'll be used as some quasi-detention facility for those that don't need it. We've all seen the people hallucinating on drugs, etc. yet we expect them to make the conscious, and in the short term, painful (withdrawal) decision to go the rehab? We expect parents and guardians to make decision for children. Many of these people have less faculties than a teenager. It is compassionate to help them in the long term despite their short term objections.
https://majorprojects.alberta.ca/de...tervention-Facilities-CIF-Calgary-Adult/11505 (location is just a placeholder)Alberta spending $180M on involuntary addiction treatment centres
Alberta's government is continuing the push for so-called "compassionate intervention" addictions treatment in the province.
