Marking two years of Encampment Strategy successes

What began as a bold strategy is producing significant results across Lethbridge.

The Safety and Social Standing Policy Committee has received encouraging updates on the City of Lethbridge’s Encampment Strategy. Two years in, the strategy is making a real difference in reducing entrenchment and improving public safety.

Slowing the annual growth of homelessness

Since the strategy’s launch in the spring of 2023, the pace of homelessness growth in the city has slowed significantly. According to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count (PiT), homelessness in Lethbridge has grown by seven per cent each year since 2022. That marks a significant slowdown from the 19.5 per cent annual rise seen between 2018 and 2022. The slowdown is largely thanks to focused investments and growing partnerships. This includes the Government of Alberta’s support for the Lethbridge Shelter and the Blood Tribe Department of Health taking over shelter operations.

Coordinated encampment responses

The strategy’s success is also largely built on its proactive and integrated encampment response. More than 2,200 encampment-related sites have been triaged since 2023, with more than 85,000 kilograms of debris removed. Through early intervention and consistent field presence, the City is preventing entrenched encampments and maintaining a public environment that is safe for everyone in the community.

This, in turn, leads to reduced demand on our emergency services. While encampment reports in Lethbridge more than doubled from 2023 to 2024, service calls to police dropped by 16 per cent and calls to Fire and EMS declined by 11 per cent. Outdoor fire incidents, a key safety concern related to encampments, fell by more than 27 per cent.

Outreach services and culturally grounded supports

The City’s decision to bring outreach services in-house has been instrumental in improving support. Since the transition, there has been a 263 per cent increase in outreach intakes and a 318 per cent rise in referrals. From August 2024 to April 2025, 19 individuals exited homelessness, compared to none in the previous year. This shows the impact of consistent, relationship-based engagement.

Indigenous individuals made up 68 per cent of those who discussed their racial identity in the 2024 PiT Count. This highlights the importance of culturally grounded supports. Recent investments through the federal Reaching Home program, combined with the province’s backing of Indigenous-led efforts, show how all levels of government are stepping up to meet that need.

Shifting public sentiment

Data collected around media coverage and online public sentiment shows a significant transformation. In 2022, 70.7 per cent of residents held negative views toward encampments. By 2023, that number had dropped significantly, to 19.6 per cent, while positive sentiment rose sharply, from 2.6 per cent to 47.3 per cent.

Although positive sentiment declined to 28.6 per cent in 2024, there was a notable increase in neutral responses, which rose to 65.9 per cent. This shift suggests the public increasingly sees this initiative as a standard and expected part of municipal operations.

“This strategy was never about quick fixes,” says Andrew Malcolm, General Manager of Community Social Development. “It’s about meeting people where they are, building trust and addressing challenges in a thoughtful, coordinated way. These results show that with persistence, collaboration and compassion, we’re changing the trajectory.”

The Encampment Strategy is designed to address seasonal fluctuations, evolving public needs and systemic pressures. As the City looks to the future, it remains committed to refining its approach and supporting vulnerable residents with dignity and care.

For Public Inquiries:
Call or chat with 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.