An encampment that was established outside Rotary House in 2019 (EverythingGP file photo)

By Shaun Penner

Rough Sleeping

Mobile Outreach Team addressing uptick of encampments around Grande Prairie

May 25, 2021 | 3:01 PM

Despite an uptick in new rough sleeping encampments being reported around the city, the Mobile Outreach Program’s manager says a new workflow process in partnership with Enforcement Services is allowing their team to respond more efficiently and dismantle such setups more quickly while connecting those residing in such camps to the supports they need.

Presenting to the City’s Protective and Social Services Standing Committee Tuesday morning, Program Manager Chelsea Frizzell said program staff responded to and dismantled 28 encampments between January and March of this year.

Despite such setups becoming a more regular occurrence as the weather gets warmer, Frizzell says there does not seem to be as many popping up this year compared to recent years.

“With our collaboration with Enforcement Services, they have noticed a decrease from previous years with our team being out on the street and assisting individuals who are rough sleeping, to access services and encourage shelter use, as opposed to sleeping outside.”

The Mobile Outreach Program, or MOP, began operations in September of 2020 and seeks to mitigate the impacts of street-level social disorder, addiction and public intoxication.

Meaningful Mementos

Remembering Someone You've Lost at Christmas

Dec 03, 2024

Seasonal Sorrow

How Do You Get Through The Holidays When You're Grieving?

Nov 01, 2024

Upcoming Events at Oliver's

Grief & Loss and Estate Planning Seminars

Oct 02, 2024

The program works to provide immediate support for an individual’s basic needs and to help them navigate support services such as emergency shelters, addictions treatment and housing.

With that, the new workflow process is helping program staff typically respond within the same day as when the encampment is reported.

“Then we do a site risk assessment to determine whether it is safe to proceed. If safety concerns do present, then we do refer to Enforcement Services… then we facilitate what the next steps are,” said Frizzell.

“Then if the encampment is active, we connect individuals to appropriate services. If it’s inactive, then we leave them a notice to let them know when we arrived, provide our contact information so that if they do want services, they can give us a call.”

She adds they then collaborate with Enforcement Services and other necessary agencies for a plan to clean up the site.

Frizzell says they will continue to have a heavy presence around the Rotary House footprint with consistent messaging that encampments are not permitted in the city.

“As soon as we see one coming up, we do proactive patrols so that we can engage with them as soon as they are coming up and let them know that it is illegal to have tents up,” said Frizzell. “We can help assist with removing them, we offer resources and support, transportation to a safe place and those sorts of things.”

Anyone who spots an encampment around the city can report it to the City’s Mobile Outreach team at 780-830-7094.