Occupy Edmonton gets winter ready
Campers in other cities facing eviction
While several Occupy movements across Canada are being told to shut down or move, Edmonton's protest against financial inequality hunkered down for a long winter's stay Monday.
Officials with Melcor Developments, which owns the occupied land at the corner of 102nd Street and Jasper Ave., have told Occupy Edmonton in writing that it wants the campers to leave, but has no plans to evict them.
"We are definitely in for the long haul," Colton Suvanto, who has camped at the site since the first day of the protest, told CBC News.
Along with the teepee, which will house a fire and be used primarily for workshops, organizers plan to set up two all-season tents. Suvanto also wants heaters to be installed.
He said his biggest worry is about getting sick as temperatures plummet.
'It's time to go' — Mayor
Despite the resolve of Edmonton protesters to stay put, officials with the city and in other communities across Canada are growing weary of the movement.
Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel said Monday that the tents should be taken down.
"It's time to go," Mandel told reporters.
"My belief is that winter's coming and safety and security of people is important."
Calgary city council approved a motion Monday to remove the Occupy tents from Olympic Plaza, although no specific timeline was set.
Also Monday, lawyers for the city of Vancouver filed a motion to shut down the Occupy campsite there, after a woman died of an apparent heroin overdose at the site over the weekend.
Occupy Quebec City protesters have defied an order to tear down their site, as did protesters in Victoria, who were given until 12 noon on Monday to disband their site.
Meanwhile in Halifax, about 50 campers temporarily moved their tents to make way for Remembrance Day ceremonies.
At latest report, Occupy campers in Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal are still in place.