The City of Calgary has seen a rise in encampments, but one Calgarian is on a mission to help clean up the city and help those in need.
Matthew Edwards has been picking up trash in over 70 communities for the last 150 days. He tells CityNews he has picked up around 9,000 pounds of trash.
“I wanted to help clean up the area and you know keep this area right next to the river you know as clean as possible but then also do what I can to help people in the encampments,” Matthew Edwards told CityNews.
With a picker, some garbage bags, and some gloves, he hopes to clean the city of 10,000 pounds.
“I’m just trying to show people what one person can accomplish,” Edwards said.
“If you just go out there and try and make an effort … it’s better than doing nothing and it’s way better just complaining.”
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When asked if he encourages people to go into encampments and clean them up.
“Absolutely not,” Edwards said. “I only clean up abandoned encampments and I only clean up encampments that are being used if I have the permission of the person there.”
Seventy bags have been filled with garbage in one area CityNews met with Edwards, and people had already begun setting up camp. But this isn’t surprising to Edwards.
“The fact that it doesn’t surprise me is the problem. Because this should be an issue that people look at in abject horror,” he said.
Edwards plans on continuing his mission, making little differences along the way.
“This city is 850 square kilometers. There is plenty of city to clean up,” Edwards said.
“I made my little difference here, now it’s time to move on and make a difference elsewhere.”