Policy, Provincial

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce convened a roundtable with MLA David Shepherd, the Alberta NDP’s Shadow Minister for Public Safety and Emergency Services. The session provided a direct line for Edmonton’s business and community leaders to share lived experiences, propose solutions, and respond to the NDP’s draft Public Safety Blueprint. 

A Business Climate Under Pressure 

The tone was frank: business leaders from across sectors painted a vivid picture of downtown Edmonton as an environment under sustained stress. 

Reports of vandalism, open drug use, and frequent security incidents were widespread. Some commercial properties face vacancy rates exceeding 40%. Security costs have tripled for some organizations since the pandemic, and many businesses now struggle to attract and retain staff who feel unsafe commuting or working downtown. 

Chamber members made it clear: without urgent, coordinated action, Edmonton risks losing more than foot traffic—we risk losing investment, tourism, and our reputation as a place to build and grow a business. 

A Call for Coordinated, Human-Centred Action 

While enforcement remains a necessary tool, participants stressed that it cannot operate in isolation. Safe communities require comprehensive responses: 

• Subsidized de-escalation training (e.g., NVCI, MOAB, PPCT) to better equip frontline staff.
• Bridge and transitional housing to support stability and reintegration.
• Indigenous-led and lived-experience-driven service models.
• More equitable service delivery—so that supports are available where people live, not just downtown. 

The need for clear roles and coordination between municipal, provincial, and federal governments was another consistent theme. Right now, downtown businesses are absorbing disproportionate impacts and costs related to public safety, housing, and addiction services. That must change. 

Chamber Members Respond to the NDP Public Safety Blueprint 

Attendees welcomed the NDP’s efforts to prioritize safety and appreciated the Blueprint’s focus on root-cause interventions such as mental health support, housing, and detox services. 

However, members emphasized that successful implementation will depend on resourcing, timelines, and cross-government collaboration. Optimism was paired with urgency: businesses can’t afford to wait. 

The full NDP Proposal can be found here. 

Chamber Recommendations to the Provincial Government 

1. Subsidize frontline safety training to ensure staff are equipped to de-escalate safely and confidently. 
2. Reinvest in daytime drop-in spaces to relieve pressure on public and private spaces downtown.
3. Support a full housing spectrum, especially transitional and bridge housing with wraparound services.
4. Fund Indigenous-led and lived-experience-led services that better meet the needs of Edmonton’s most vulnerable.
5. Establish clear intergovernmental coordination on mental health, addiction, and housing to reduce cost burdens on businesses.
6. Expand decentralized service delivery to ensure all Edmonton communities are supported—and to ease pressure on the core. 

The Edmonton Chamber remains committed to a downtown that is not only safe—but thriving. We will continue working with policymakers and community partners to ensure our city’s core is a place where businesses, residents, and all Edmontonians can succeed. 

Chamber Member Participants

• David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton–City Centre and Shadow Minister for Public Safety & Emergency Services, Legislative Assembly of Alberta

• Candace Noble, Executive Services Officer, Bissell Centre

• Nancy Jarnevic, General Manager, Kingsway Mall

• Bree Claude, Vice President of Customer Experience & Community Partnerships, Civida

• Liz Ferguson, Executive Director, McDougall House Association

• Maria Cozarescu, General Manager, YMCA of Northern Alberta

• Sean Kirk, Director of Property Management, Canderel Group and General Manager, City Centre Mall

• Patrick Myslicki, Client Services Manager, Paladin Security

• Robert Sabulka, Associate Vice President Infrastructure, Planning and Management, MacEwan University

• Braede Harris, Director of Operations, Edmonton Downtown Business Association

• Chris Yeung, Executive Director, Edmonton Destination Marketing Hotels

• Lea Storry, Writer, Our Family Lines / Our Corporate History