April 2026

 

EDMONTON: CITY OF CHAMPIONS — OR FROSTBITE CAPITAL?

Edmonton is facing a growing crisis.

Since 2021, 188 frostbite amputations have been performed on people experiencing homelessness in our city, according to Taylor Lambert reporting for CBC News.

This isn’t just a statistic—it’s a system failure.

Our unsheltered population has nearly tripled since 2019. Patients are leaving emergency departments before being seen, only to return later with severe frostbite—often beyond the 72-hour window for treatment.

At the same time, EMS crews are responding to up to 30 opioid-related calls per day.

This is what happens when:

  • Shelters are inadequate or unavailable
  • Encampments are dismantled without support
  • Care is delayed or inaccessible
  • Addiction and homelessness are left unaddressed

The result? More suffering. More strain on healthcare. More preventable harm.

As healthcare workers and advocates, we have to ask:
How did we get here—and what are we going to do about it?

Edmonton deserves better. So do the people living in it.

Click HERE for the new spotlight on Frostbite in Edmonton