Alberta’s Official Opposition says if detainees are going to be dropped off in Edmonton’s Chinatown – or anywhere in the city – it needs to be done while support services are open, and a direction connection has been made in advance.
Two separate videos of Correctional Services vans dropping off detainees in Chinatown in September sparked outrage from the community.
Residents and business owners sounded the alarm over public safety, saying former inmates shouldn’t be released into neighbourhoods without proper support and supervision.
That call was echoed by the Alberta NDP on Thursday. The party is urging the UCP government to intervene and end the unsupported drop-offs. It also wants wraparound support services for people leaving custody to be extended; and a discharge-and-reintegration plan in place for high-risk and vulnerable individuals.
“When people leave custody with no way to get home, and no connection to housing, health care, or community supports, they’re being set up to fail,” said Janis Irwin, MLA for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood. “They’re more likely to cycle through homelessness, shelters, emergency rooms, police interactions, and back into the justice system instead of getting the help they need to rebuild their lives.
“This fails the people being released, fails our communities, and ultimately makes Albertans less safe.”
In a statement to CityNews, Arthur Green, the Press Secretary for the Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister, said, Our government has met with Chinatown residents and providers and have taken their concerns seriously, taking concrete steps to make their community safer. We relocated the Edmonton Remand Centre off the doorstep of Chinatown to the outskirts of the city, and, following recent discussions with social service providers in Chinatown, we are implementing dedicated system navigators within correctional centres to help coordinate inmate releases and connect people with housing and supports.
“The NDP have some nerve to be fearmongering about disorder in Edmonton’s Chinatown after installing three drug consumption sites in their community during their short-lived time in power. Albertans don’t need lectures from the NDP about Chinatown’s challenges — in fact, if the NDP had been paying any attention, they would know our government is already taking real action to address them.
“We’ve also made record investments to bring more social supports to the community, address the root causes of homelessness and help people on the path to recovery from addiction. Edmonton’s Navigation and Support Centre, located in Chinatown, has helped more than 12,000 Albertans access the supports they need and made over 75,000 connections to critical services, including affordable housing and ID supports. And, as announced this summer, we’re also investing more than $30 million to add over 400 new treatment, housing and stabilization beds in the Edmonton area, ensuring even more Albertans have safe spaces to go as they work to get off the streets and rebuild their lives.”
David Shepherd, Alberta NDP shadow minister for public safety, speaking at press conference surrounded by members of Edmonton’s Chinatown community, Alberta NDP Deputy Leader Rakhi Pancholi, MLA Nathan Ip, and MLA Janis Irwin on Oct. 15, 2026. (Siddi Chudal, CityNews)
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