The Mayor of Edmonton told CBC News he was hopeful a meeting on Monday with homeless advocates would help generate ways to deal with the city's affordable housing problem, although he was doubtful a definitive solution would be found.

"We'll hopefully come up with some ideas — you know I can tell you we're not going to solve the problem of homelessness," Stephen Mandel told CBC News over the weekend.

The meeting was being held behind closed doors.

On Saturday, Mandel took a tour of Edmonton's tent city, located in a field just two blocks north of the city's downtown. The site is home to 32 tents. 

Some of the tent city residents were surprised by the mayor's visit, but were quick to demand answers.

"Why did it take you so long to come down and see us?  We've been asking for you for a couple of weeks," Lorrie Neyrinck, a resident of the tent city, told the mayor.

'We're trying to get you down here'

"We're the homeless and you're out there on your high horse and we're trying to get you down here to take a look at what we need to go through to try and get a home," she added.

"People think that the mayor has much more power than he does," Mandel replied.

"This is a provincial responsibility. They're the ones who need to put together the funding package so we can do something. And it isn't going to happen overnight."

The province and the city have committed $166 million over the next five years for affordable housing. But the homes won't be ready for at least 18 months.