City of Edmonton expands Community Outreach Transit Team to seven teams

Two years after its initial launch, the Community Outreach Transit Team (COTT) has been expanded to seven teams.

COTT brings together outreach workers from Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society with Transit Peace Officers from the city of Edmonton. Teams connect with vulnerable individuals in transit spaces to help connect them to community support and resources, including housing, mental health, substance use and financial assistance.

“When vulnerable people turn to transit spaces, COTT is there with a human-centered, trauma-informed approach,” said Murray Knutson, deputy director, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. “Pairing outreach workers with Transit Peace Officers allows us to reach out and match people with the support they need.”

After its launch as a two-team pilot program in September 2020, COTT was expanded in February 2022 because of its positive impacts. Since its inception, COTT has had more than 1,000 meaningful engagements with vulnerable Edmontonians, including information, referrals and transportation to services and supports. In addition, COTT has provided more than 45 instances of medical aid and provided essential supplies more than 400 times.

With three newly onboarded teams, COTT now operates in transit spaces seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Teams are deployed as events happen but also proactively patrol ETS spaces based on observed patterns of demands for services. The current complement is expected to remain in place until at least 2026.

“COTT is an example of how we can bring holistic solutions to make transit safer for everyone,” said Councillor Anne Stevenson, Ward O-day’min. “By supporting people one by one, we all end up safer, and I’m excited to see this successful program grow.”

While Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) ridership has largely recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the city of Edmonton continues to use multiple tools and tactics to improve safety, perception of safety, community well-being and integration of services in transit spaces.

Different tactics are being used to improve the uptake of services. Until the end of August, COTT is piloting an engagement booth at Churchill LRT station on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as a consistent available resource to help connect vulnerable people to social supports and services.

“Effective work in transit spaces means bringing together proactive and reactive elements,” said Jenna Pilot, supervisor, community safety. “This partnership with Bent Arrow has made a significant difference in both ways, changing how we respond to a crisis, but also reaching out to Edmontonians who may have experienced trauma or health challenges.”