In Cold Lake, Alta., drivers leaning through windows at the McDonald害羞草研究所檚 drive-thru have been ambushed by people running by and snatching food right out of their hands.

At the Tim Hortons, a worker was attacked for confronting someone who smeared feces all over the bathroom walls.

At the Home Hardware, customers have opened display garden sheds to find people living inside.

Police have found makeshift homes in storm sewers.

Fire crews responded to more than 20 fires in 2023 set by people trying to keep warm at encampments.

The local garbage dump has been picked over nightly by those looking for furniture and clothes.

Businesses lock their doors during daytime hours. If customers want in, they have to knock.

The local Ramada hotel has built a fence, locks its doors at night and has extra security to combat people who have come inside swearing and confronting staff, brandishing knives, hanging around in bathrooms and smoking in stairwells.

害羞草研究所淚t got physical. We called RCMP all the time,害羞草研究所� said hotel manager Viva Romanillos.

Romanillos said she starts every day shooing away people who害羞草研究所檝e congregated overnight outside the hotel害羞草研究所檚 locked door.

The disruptions, she estimates, drive away customers at a cost of thousands of dollars.

Cold Lake is a community of 16,000, sitting northeast of Edmonton on the shores of the lake of the same name near the Saskatchewan boundary. Just south is Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake, Canada害羞草研究所檚 busiest fighter base.

Mayor Craig Copeland, sitting in a local coffee shop, says his city害羞草研究所檚 problems mirror those of many others: homelessness and crime combined with a lack of help for those with mental health and drug abuse issues.

害羞草研究所淵ou害羞草研究所檙e seeing petty crime everywhere,害羞草研究所� Copeland said.

He said the number of those roaming and living on the streets in the city has ballooned to 230 from 30 over five years.

They害羞草研究所檙e coming from remote communities further north and from areas in Saskatchewan, he said.

He added that most of the petty crimes involve repeat offenders addicted to meth, a highly addictive drug that has become cheaper, readily available and leaves people in a psychosis for several days.

害羞草研究所淭hese individuals are staying awake for like three or four days and they害羞草研究所檙e wandering around. The psychosis makes them aggressive.害羞草研究所�

Copeland said with the nearest services for the homeless hours away, the city had to open its first homeless shelter about a year ago.

The city has also passed a bylaw banning overnight loitering in back alleys and aggressive panhandling near businesses. Public benches have been ripped out.

Private security has been hired. Police have been directed to charge more people who don害羞草研究所檛 abide by the bylaws.

About 7,000 kilograms of garbage has also been trucked away from a local encampment.

害羞草研究所淚f we don害羞草研究所檛 take this approach, you害羞草研究所檙e rewarding bad behaviour, right?害羞草研究所� said Copeland.

害羞草研究所淲e want to send a message that if you害羞草研究所檙e going to stay in Cold Lake, you have to behave yourselves. Otherwise go tell these business owners here in Cold Lake that it害羞草研究所檚 OK that they run out of business.害羞草研究所�

Mike Ellis, Alberta害羞草研究所檚 public safety minister, said this week the province is aware of the problems in Cold Lake and is ready to help.

The local MP, Conservative Laila Goodridge, has blamed the problems on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 Liberal government, saying 害羞草研究所渃rime, chaos and disorder are the norm.害羞草研究所�

Leona Heisler, who runs the local 20-bed homeless shelter, says Alberta and Ottawa need to work together and pony up more money to help those with drug and mental health issues.

害羞草研究所淭he majority of the individuals that are here 害羞草研究所� lost their kids, they害羞草研究所檝e lost their home. This is the worst parts of their life,害羞草研究所� Heisler said.

She recalled helping a woman dealing with a meth addiction and trauma so severe that staff had to repeatedly stop her from running outside in the winter with no shoes.

害羞草研究所淪he never knew where she was. (She was) talking to the walls,害羞草研究所� Heisler said.

She said the city害羞草研究所檚 crackdown has helped but doesn害羞草研究所檛 fix the bigger issues.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 just a revolving door. It害羞草研究所檚 just a cycle, Heisler said.

害羞草研究所淥ver and over and over.害羞草研究所�

Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press