Residents speak out about knives

Edmonton planning on working with communities to restrict weapon-like knives

Some of the knives found in local convenience stores in Edmonton. | Allan Bolstad

On April 9, thanks to a proposal presented by Edmonton community partners, City Council agreed to work with local communities and police on the restriction of certain types of knives.

Communities have been concerned about the easy accessibility of weapon-like knives. Local convenience stores have been seen selling knives with curved, double-sided blades, and with a push-button mechanism. The proposal included parameters for the type of restrictions that can be applied to these devices.

“These are really dangerous weapons, and it’s when you hold them that you realize how it’s meant to be used,” says Allan Boldstad, an Alberta Avenue Community League board member. 

Boldstad was one of many speakers voicing their concerns during the Council Urban Planning Committee meeting. According to Christy Morin, an activist and founder of Arts on the Ave, children as young as eight years old have been carrying some of these knives.

The move made during the council meeting will produce a report by the third quarter of 2024. This report will be the result of consultation with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) and community stakeholders to find options to regulate the sale of knives.

One concern brought up during the Urban Planning Committee was balancing the restriction of weapon-like knives without blocking household knives sales. The consultation needs to explore the options while still meeting the urgency of the issue.

“I think change in community comes from the grassroots and comes with expertise and knowledge from the inside and the outside,” Christy Morin says. “Coming together and building a strong safety initiative and strong bylaws.”

During the council meeting, EPS Superintendent Kellie Morgan stated that there has been a 30 per cent increase in violence and weapon events in 2023.

“We are back 20 years, because those are the same conversations and that’s why we opened The Carrot Community Arts Coffee House — because nothing on the Avenue was open after 6 pm,” Morin says. “Because of fear, of crime, and safety. And here we were again.”

Executive Director of the Alberta Business Association, Erick Estrada, Executive Director of the Alberta Business Association, says that around 11 local stores have voluntarily removed the knives on the Avenue. Estrada has found that, when approached by people in the community, some small businesses have been open to having them temporarily removed.: “They do care deeply about the community and that’s why they want to take the steps to have the knives removed,” says Estrada. Many of the small businesses are run by people in the BIPOC community. 

“Our business owners, they are coming from some countries that had social distress and the relationship with levels of government is not the same as somebody who was born and raised here,” Estrada says, “When city officials, — or official-looking people — walk in and start questioning them, they get afraid of their livelihoods getting taken away.” 

“I think we have a very good opportunity to work with these [businesses] that care and turn them around into a community hub.”

This is the first step in future restrictions. Allan Bolstad says, “If we’re successful with getting these removed from stores, then the next step is to make them illegal to carry.”

Although there has been improvement on the Avenue with the removal of an estimated 431 knives, more work is needed. Erick Estrada says, “We need the city to meet us halfway. Join our efforts. If we self-ban them from the district and they can sell them just one block away from the Avenue, we’re not solving anything.”

The Carrot Community Arts Coffee House hosts “Coffee with Cops” about once a month. This is an opportunity for discussion with the Edmonton Police Service about any concerns or questions from the community.

“A huge shout-out to the communities that came together,” Morin adds. “It’s not just Allan and I […], But it’s the group that’s making the difference.”