[David A]

I'm not sure why, but there seems to lots of sketchy, rough looking people downtown today although most do not seem intoxicated or on drugs. Usually it has not been so bad lately, but sure is today.

Was there a mass prison release I missed on the news?

 

[IanO]

Payday.

It was atrocious out there.

 

[Glenco]

Is there a correlation between the increase in social disorder and the opening of the King Thunder centre?

 

[Offworld]

Payday.

It was atrocious out there.

^ Welfare Wednesday is still a thing?

 

[northlands]

I'm not sure why, but there seems to lots of sketchy, rough looking people downtown today although most do not seem intoxicated or on drugs. Usually it has not been so bad lately, but sure is today.

Was there a mass prison release I missed on the news?

I noticed the same. Past few years there does seem to be almost like a cyclical trend to the visibility of that population. Not sure if it’s weather related or something with the drug supply but some days it feels like a bus collects ‘em all from northern AB and SK then drops them all off somewhere on 101st lol

 

[Greenspace]

^As IanO said, it's related to when government cheques are handed out, and subsequent drug use by those with addiction issues.

 

[David A]

I noticed the same. Past few years there does seem to be almost like a cyclical trend to the visibility of that population. Not sure if it’s weather related or something with the drug supply but some days it feels like a bus collects ‘em all from northern AB and SK then drops them all off somewhere on 101st lol

Interestingly, when I went out today hardly any of these people out, so maybe it really was a one day bus field trip to downtown.

 

[Avenuer]

^As IanO said, it's related to when government cheques are handed out, and subsequent drug use by those with addiction issues.

Yup - this. They get their money and subsequently blow it on drugs. Always at the end of the month.

 

[ADob]

I dropped my husband off at work early this morning and drove by the usual junkie mess around 101 St and 107 Ave and I thought I'd toss this question out to the team: there are always drug dealers and users clustered around the tiny Rexall south of 107 Ave and that weird god-knows-what store north of 107 Ave. These people go into the stores and then buy and use their drugs right outside the doors. Why would the store owners continue to allow this? I'd be calling the police daily. Or are they some sort of drug fronts (at least the weird store north of 107 Ave). This isn't a one-off; it's been like this every single time I've driven by here. And it's not at all conducive to doing any kind of proper/legal business. Any ideas?

 

[Avenuer]

I dropped my husband off at work early this morning and drove by the usual junkie mess around 101 St and 107 Ave and I thought I'd toss this question out to the team: there are always drug dealers and users clustered around the tiny Rexall south of 107 Ave and that weird god-knows-what store north of 107 Ave. These people go into the stores and then buy and use their drugs right outside the doors. Why would the store owners continue to allow this? I'd be calling the police daily. Or are they some sort of drug fronts (at least the weird store north of 107 Ave). This isn't a one-off; it's been like this every single time I've driven by here. And it's not at all conducive to doing any kind of proper/legal business. Any ideas?

Some of those sketchy-looking stores are indeed confirmed drug fronts:

Edmonton convenience store shut down after raid uncovers drugs, weapons: police - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca

Police said over $200,000 in cash, weapons and drugs like cocaine and meth, along with 28,000 illegal cigarettes, was seized from Bibi 16 Convenience Store in central Edmonton.

globalnews.ca

 

[ADob]

So if that's the case and it is known, I wonder why nothing is done about it. It's an absolute gong show in that area. Where are the cops???

 

[David A]

To be fair to the police here, I feel the shut down part is something being done. Although it is unfortunate these problems drag on so long and are obvious while nothing seems to happen, but perhaps behind the scenes things were.

 

[Greenspace]

EPS and Bylaw Compliance have to build a case to revoke their business licence, it takes time unfortunately. One other one was shut down on 97 street is now up and running again under a different business name.

 

[constance_chlore]

To be fair to the police here, I feel the shut down part is something being done. Although it is unfortunate these problems drag on so long and are obvious while nothing seems to happen, but perhaps behind the scenes things were.

How shut down is Bibi 16 really? Because I took this photo just today...

 

[David A]

The article was from some months ago, so not sure what happened since. It may be like what was said about the other one, a change of ownership?

The article also listed charges against the owners, so I am thinking it probably would have to be different owners now.

Regardless, it seems like whack a mole here, just when one is shut down another pops up. Frustrating.