Alberta NDP Calls for End to Chinatown Detainee Drop-Offs
EDMONTON (CMH News) — The Alberta New Democratic Party (NDP) held a news conference at Dynasty Century Palace Restaurant in Edmonton's Chinatown at 11 a.m. on October 15, calling on the United Conservative Party (UCP) government to immediately end the practice of dropping off people released from custody without ensuring access to appropriate support services.
The call followed the release of surveillance footage showing law enforcement officers transporting individuals released from custody into Chinatown. NDP representatives urged the provincial government to strengthen reintegration services, while local business owners and Chinese community representatives voiced concerns about public safety and the neighbourhood's future.
David Shepherd, MLA for Edmonton-City Centre and the Alberta NDP's Shadow Minister for Public Safety, said residents should feel safe whether they are operating a business in Chinatown, walking home from work or heading downtown to attend a hockey game. He criticized the provincial government for failing to adequately address the Chinatown community's longstanding concerns.
The NDP outlined three proposed measures: requiring law enforcement agencies to ensure that appropriate support services are arranged, open and accessible before dropping off individuals released from custody; expanding housing, health care and other wraparound supports before and after release; and requiring discharge and reintegration plans for high-risk or highly vulnerable individuals.
Nathan Ip, MLA for Edmonton-South West, said Chinatown residents and business owners want their neighbourhood to be a safe, welcoming place to live and do business.
Fellow NDP MLA Janis Irwin said individuals released without adequate housing, health care or community support risk becoming trapped in a cycle of homelessness and repeated involvement with the justice system.
Karl Miu, Vice-Chair of the Chinatown and Area Business Association and a consultant with Yorkton Group, said the circumstances captured in the recent surveillance footage were shocking, but similar problems had persisted for years.
He argued that Chinatown should not become the default destination for people released from custody simply because social service agencies are concentrated in the neighbourhood.
Miu noted that Yorkton Equity Group is planning a residential development on the parking lot of Pacific Mall in Chinatown, with the goal of attracting more residents and increasing foot traffic for local businesses. However, he said ongoing public safety concerns are raising questions about the area's investment environment.
Miu emphasized that public safety and economic revitalization go hand in hand. He added that people leaving custody need meaningful reintegration support rather than simply being dropped off somewhere without further assistance.
Wai-Ling Lennon, a retired teacher and Chinese community representative, described her years of volunteer work in Chinatown, including providing interpretation assistance to Chinese seniors who do not speak English.
She said community members have worked for years to encourage residents and visitors to come to Chinatown, but safety concerns are undermining those efforts.
"Chinatown is the place in this city of Edmonton that reminds me of my cultural roots. It's a place where I feel I belong," Lennon said.
She expressed concern that one day she might no longer feel safe enough to visit the neighbourhood.
Wilson Wang, a Chinatown business owner and co-founder of Van Loc Vietnamese Submarines and Boa & Hare Coffee & Cocktails, offered the perspective of a younger generation of entrepreneurs.
He described Edmonton's Chinatown not only as a neighbourhood facing public safety challenges, but also as an underutilized economic and cultural asset with significant potential.
Located minutes from Commonwealth Stadium, Rogers Place and downtown Edmonton, Chinatown is well positioned to attract diners, visitors and investment through its restaurants, nightlife and cultural tourism offerings, Wang said.
However, negative perceptions, visible disorder and detainee drop-offs have left local businesses absorbing costs and risks that entrepreneurs should not have to bear.
"Safety is not a social issue in Chinatown. Safety is economic infrastructure," Wang said.
He argued that improving public safety could attract customers and investment, create jobs, generate tourism and tax revenue, and restore community pride.
Wang called on the provincial government to work with local businesses and view Chinatown's revitalization as an investment in Alberta's economy, cultural identity and next generation of entrepreneurs.
During the question-and-answer session, a community representative living in a Chinatown seniors' residence argued that simply changing where people are dropped off would not address the underlying problem.
The resident said social services were overly concentrated in Chinatown and suggested that the government consider relocating some services to other areas.
Another reporter questioned what the NDP had done to address similar problems during its time in government from 2015 to 2019, given that concerns about Chinatown had existed for years.
Shepherd acknowledged that homelessness and public safety issues had existed during that period, but maintained that they were far less severe than they are today.
He also acknowledged that he had not personally received specific complaints at the time about people being dropped off in Chinatown after release from custody. He said the situation had since escalated to a level requiring government action.
The news conference highlighted how Chinatown's public safety concerns extend beyond the practice of detainee drop-offs to broader questions about housing, the distribution of social services and neighbourhood economic revitalization.
Balancing meaningful reintegration support for people released from custody with the safety of residents, businesses and visitors remains a central concern for the Chinatown community.
By Lynn Wang
Photos by Yongming An
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