Body found at 7th Edmonton homeless camp dismantled by city

A body was found at an Edmonton homeless encampment prior to city crews arriving to dismantle it Sunday, the City of Edmonton says.

There was also a propane tank explosion at the camp on 94 Street and 106 Avenue, the city reported in a news release.

“Cleanup activities were paused while first responders made appropriate arrangements to address both situations,” the release reads.

“Today’s incident highlights the dangers of fire use in encampments as temperatures drop. The City continues to encourage individuals to seek warmth in appropriate shelters where various supports and services are provided.”

The city did not immediately provide more details on the body discovered at the camp.

The penultimate “high risk” homeless encampment in Edmonton – the seventh of eight – ultimately came down Sunday. The city says it removed 20 structures and roughly 1,200 kilograms of waste, including 30 needles and 10 propane tanks.

Per a court injunction, the city and Edmonton police must make sure there is enough shelter space to accommodate everyone before taking down an encampment, and the residents must be given notice.

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As frigid temperatures begin rolling in and shelter usage increases, the city says it will “review plans to ensure ongoing sufficient shelter capacity exists before moving forward with the final planned closure.”

Temperatures dropped to minus-20 C Sunday and were expected to keep falling all week. A low of minus-38 C is in the forecast for Thursday night.

The city considers an encampment high risk if there is a risk of injury or death due to fire, drug use, gang violence, weapons, sanitation risk or criminal activity. Officials also consider the camp’s proximity to schools and playgrounds, and how long it has been in place.