FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 12, 2026

Homeless Commission announces new Chair, Vice-Chair and Commission members

Edmonton, AB. As we begin the fifth year of implementing the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, we are pleased to announce that current Commission member Hal Danchilla will become our new Chair and Jim Taylor of the Downtown Business Association becomes Vice-chair. Additionally, we are delighted to welcome four new commission members, who bring considerable expertise and insight to our task of ending homelessness here in Edmonton.

Deborah Coulter is an experienced Métis consultant and manager, whose skills reflect a combination of formal educational, traditional Aboriginal teachings and professional expertise. Neil Irvine recently retired after 36 years with the Government of Alberta, including 12 years as Assistant Deputy Minister with Alberta Employment and Immigration. Larry Pollock was Canada’s longest serving CEO until he retired from Canadian Western Bank earlier this year. Ralph Young is CEO of Melcor Developments Ltd. and Chancellor of the University of Alberta. All four new members have valuable professional skills and extensive experience serving the needs of our community in various volunteer capacities.

The Homeless Commission is the steward of Edmonton’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. As a committee of City Council, our job is to provide the Mayor and City Council with an annual update on the Plan’s progress. In addition, we advocate for implementation of the Plan to End Homelessness; encourage collaboration among the homeless serving sector and with community partners; educate Edmontonians about homelessness and ending homelessness; and conduct relevant research.

Incoming Chair, Hal Danchilla, recognizes that there is much work still to be done to reach the goal of ending homelessness by 2019: “Yes, we have seen success in the numbers of people who have been housed and given the supports they need to stay in their housing. But there are still 2174 Edmontonians living on our streets. 279 of them are children. Those numbers are unacceptable in a city like ours. Each one of those Edmontonians deserves a home of his or her own.”

The Homeless Commission thanks retiring Commission members Kathy Barnhart, Karen Mackenzie, Eric Newell, Bruce Saville and Bob Westbury for their years of service.

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