Core Care is our hands-on approach to building a cleaner, safer, and more welcoming downtown. Led by the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, Core Care includes three essential teams—Core Patrol, Downtown Ambassadors, and Downtown Shine—all working together to support the people and places that make our downtown vibrant.
Core Patrol
Supporting a safer downtown every night and now with National Bank day time in 2026
Downtown safety needs support day and night. Core Patrol delivers that support with trained peer workers from HireGood who provide a steady, proactive presence across streets, alleys and public spaces.
Thanks to a one-time $330,000 investment from National Bank, Core Patrol will expand to daytime hours starting January 2026. This new daytime team will operate with two patrol vehicles six days a week while our night patrol continues its work throughout the year with two patrol vehicles seven nights a week.
In 2026 Core Patrol service coverage will be:
Night patrol shift – Monday to Sunday, 10pm to 6am
Day patrol shift – Monday to Saturday, 7am to 3pm
Program Impact
2025 by the numbers
- 6,775 total reports
- Reported 2,465 trespassing & disturbance responses
- 95% of individuals move on without issue
- Reported 190 fire related incidents
- 174 resolved by our crews
- Performed 2,747 wellness checks
2024 by the numbers
- Reported 549 property vandalism incidents
- Put out 99 fires without needing first responders
- Performed 1,088 wellness checks
Day time patrol proudly supported by
Core Patrol helps prevent incidents before they escalate, checks on people who may be at risk, and keeps a watchful eye for suspicious activity. While the team works closely with emergency services, it is not a replacement for the Edmonton Police Service. In an emergency please call 911.
Downtown Ambassadors
Our help desk on legs.
Downtown Ambassadors are the friendly faces you’ll see walking through the core. They’re here to help people navigate downtown—whether it’s by giving directions, suggesting a great place to eat, or answering questions about local businesses, events, and amenities. They’re like a mobile information booth, always ready to assist.
Where you’ll find them: Ambassadors walk throughout the downtown core Monday to Saturday, covering areas with the most foot traffic and visitor needs.
On Saturdays, you can also find them stationed at the Downtown Farmers Market Info Tent during market hours.
2025 by the numbers:
- The Ambassadors walked 5,260km
- Completed 740 community interactions
- Completed 720 business interactions
- Submitted 496 tickets to the City of Edmonton 311 app
2024 by the numbers:
- The Ambassadors walked 7415km
- Completed 114 wayfinding assists (from August to December)
- Interacted with 341 individuals (from August to December)
Downtown Shine
Keeping downtown clean, every day.
Downtown Shine is our dedicated litter removal team working to keep the core clean and inviting. Delivered in partnership with HireGood and the City of Edmonton, this service operates seven days a week, focusing on litter pickup and safe needle removal.
2025 by the numbers:
- 1,684 bags of garbage were collected
- 2,011 needles were safely removed
2024 by the numbers:
- 1,831.5 bags of garbage were collected
- 2,342 needles were safely removed
“We notice weekly the elevated cleanliness of the street. We’ve even had the cleanup crew tell us they noticed a mess on our property in the back and cleaned it up for us!” – Jorel Pepin, Owner/Founder, Fawkes Café & Bakery, 104 Street
If you spot litter or debris on public property, you can report it through the Edmonton 311 app.
