Homelessness and housing emergency resolution passed by Edmonton city council

EDMONTON- Council of Alberta’s capital city passed a motion Tuesday declaring a homelessness and housing emergency, but the vote wasn’t unanimous. The resolution was brought by Mayor Amarjeet Sohi who said action had to be taken, because of a jump in homelessness in the city and because people are dying. “If we don’t treat this as a long-term emergency, more and more Edmontonians will fall through the cracks and become homeless,” Sohi said in his final pitch to council. “They’re one cheque away from losing their housing. At one time, I was one of those Edmontonians. I could have ended up on the street but community was there to support me, lift me up. But as a system we are failing people.” The emergency was passed by a vote of…

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