Homeless camping increasing with spring weather in Calgary

Social agencies in Calgary are trying to find permanent shelter for people as the number of homeless campers in the city increases along with the temperature.

"It's horrible. It's deplorable," said bylaw officer Jody St. Pierre as he checked the contents of an abandoned tent.

"That being said, I do have a sense of pride that I'm involved with this sector of the population. They're so vulnerable. They have a plethora of problems."

The city says there is usually a jump in the homeless camping population prior to Stampede as more people make their way to Calgary.

Molly Caldwell, an outreach worker with Alpha House, is part of a team the organization has put together to target people in parks.

"Our encampment team probably has a list of about 40 active camps in the city, that we know of," she said.

Caldwell says the team tries to find housing for these people when possible. But with the tight rental market, it's not easy to find affordable units.