There are zero emergency shelter beds open permanently to the general public in the municipalities surrounding Edmonton, a report from the City of Edmonton's administration indicates. Staff reached out to 12 municipalities after an Edmonton councillor inquired about the number of day spaces, emergency shelter spaces, and affordable housing units in the region.
The analysis found there are 30 emergency shelter beds in Spruce Grove that are only open during extreme cold weather, and there are no other such beds in the 12 municipalities. Morinville and Strathcona County each have 35 beds for people fleeing domestic violence, while St. Albert has two day spaces for people experiencing homelessness. The report said some municipalities offer temporary warming or cooling spaces during extreme heat or cold. Meanwhile, Edmonton had about 2,000 shelter spaces available during the day and night as of December 2025. In July 2024, Leduc city council rescinded support for an emergency winter shelter, instead opting to send unhoused people to Edmonton. Global News reported that Spruce Grove and St. Albert also refer their homeless population to services in Edmonton.
The report also compiled the number of affordable housing units in the region. All of the surveyed municipalities have affordable units, ranging from 10 in Parkland County to 839 in Strathcona County, the most populous municipality in the region outside of Edmonton. Administration said Alberta Municipalities and Rural Municipalities of Alberta are advocating to the province for more shelter support across the region and the province.