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Alberta Housing Minister Jason Nixon is slamming Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi’s call to declare a citywide homelessness emergency, calling it a political move that “will have no force and no effect.”

Nixon dismissed Sohi’s call on Thursday for a special council meeting to declare a housing and homelessness emergency, and called Sohi’s proposal of a joint meeting with the federal housing minister and Grand Chief of the Treaty 6 Confederacy a “stunt.”

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“I’m not interested in political games when it comes to this issue,” said Nixon.

Speaking in Calgary on Friday, Nixon took questions from reporters provincewide for the first time since a series of eight encampment clearings that displaced at least 100 people began in Edmonton Dec. 29.

He said a provincial cabinet committee focused on Edmonton public safety is coming up with an action plan, and will provide more details on its work after an expected court decision on the city’s encampment removals next Tuesday.

The minister claimed that any city declaration will “not change the situation at all,” adding that Sohi’s call came while the mayor was on vacation in Hawaii.

“It’s also more appalling, because his officials have been in meetings with the government for the last several weeks, putting together a long-term plan to deal with the unique circumstances that are taking place within encampments in Edmonton, and rather than taking the time to be briefed on that — know what the city of Edmonton is up to — he’s made a political statement,” said Nixon.

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‘Call it what it is: an emergency’: Sohi

Taking a very different tone and approach than Nixon, Sohi at a news conference Friday afternoon at City Hall that despite him a week off during the winter break, he has been briefed by his staff, including on the work by the cabinet committee on public safety in Edmonton.

“My office has been in touch with the minister Nixon’s office on a regular basis over the last number of days and we will continue to work in a collaborative spirit. I think there’s an opportunity to engage Edmontonians further in this conversation,” said Sohi.

He emphasized that he has “tremendous” amount of respect for provincial leadership on the file.

Sohi, before he was set to speak with federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser, told reporters he was focused on putting aside political and ideological differences and still hoped to be able to convene all levels of government, including Minister Nixon.

“We agree that housing is the solution, that supportive housing with wraparound services is the solution. Maybe where we differ is how quickly we need to accelerate,” he said, reiterating that he was grateful that new shelters have come online under Nixon.

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“I feel it’s important to clearly identify our situation and call it what it is: an emergency. People are suffering and in some cases dying,” he said.

In the midst of a lawsuit over the city’s handling of encampment removals expected to be decided Tuesday, Sohi said he is working with city administration to “improve” the process.

“The level of pressures on the social sector over the last few years has increased so much, and investments have not kept pace with that increased pressure,” he said.

When questioned about the timing of his call for the special council meeting, more than a week after demands from advocates, Sohi said he is always listening to people working in the social sector, including public health experts and social agencies.

“Their voices are very important to me,” he said.

Emergency homeless shelters 94 per cent full: Nixon

Nixon said Thursday night in both Edmonton and Calgary shelters were 94 per cent full. He repeated that nobody will be turned away from emergency shelters, and suggesting that there isn’t enough space is dangerous.

“If it causes one person not to go in to get help because they think that there is no adequate space to get help and that person loses their life, that is completely and utterly unacceptable,” the minister said.

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Nixon was announcing a one-time, $10-million increase in operating funding for housing providers with government-subsidized housing units, who are dealing with high inflation. The province counted 1,948 units committed to development in 2023, with $110 million committed over three years for capital maintenance and renewal funding and $193 million committed for the Affordable Housing Partnership Program.

“This province continues to have the most affordable housing anywhere in the country,” he said.

UCP ‘shifting the blame’: NDP

Opposition NDP housing critic Janis Irwin said at a news conference Friday the minister should be part of the city’s discussions.

“I invite him to join me at that (council) meeting to be part of the solution instead of shifting the blame,” she said.

Irwin also said Nixon’s claims contradict the experience of Albertans facing the brunt of the housing crisis, and the government’s housing efforts aren’t keeping pace with population growth.

“There are over 3,000 people experiencing homelessness in Edmonton — double what it was five years ago,” she said, a number that exceeds the less than 1,700 shelter beds in the city.