The city will not ban raves, at least not yet.
City councillors agreed Wednesday to hold off on banning electronic music and dance shows in Edmonton.
Several promoters showed up at a community and public services meeting Wednesday to offer their help in making raves safer, which Coun. Scott McKeen said likely influenced the committee’s decision.
Electronic dance party organizers tell a city committee they are willing to work with police and the city to curb drug use. (CBC)
“Maybe we would have had to say ‘this is unacceptable.’ ”
City administration and police are recommending a moratorium on raves in face of drug use, assaults and stress on first responders and hospitals.
Staff Sgt. Troy Carriere said police called for a moratorium after noticing an increase in drug use at the electronic parties.
At a recent party in February, 18 people were treated on site for drug-related illnesses and 11 more were taken to hospital, a city report shows.
“The drug culture was still continuing to evolve,” he told media after the meeting Wednesday.
The community and public services committee will meet in October to further discuss the fate of raves in Edmonton. (CBC)
Carriere said police wanted a three to four month “pause” on all electronic dance music events to figure out how to make the parties safer.
“Moratorium maybe was a strong word to use, but this was a strong response required by the city, by all of us,” he said.
“We encourage people to come here and have a good time, but we as first responders do have a moral obligation to make sure that’s a safe event here in the city as well.”
The community and public services committee will ask administration to meet with venue operators, event organizers and other agencies to discuss harm reduction strategies raves and report back to councillors in October.