(L-R) City of Red Deer Mayor Ken Johnston speaks alongside Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services at live community update regarding permanent shelter project. (rdnewsNOW/ Alessia Proietti)

By Alessia Proietti

Third site

Land negotiations unsuccessful for permanent shelter; Red Deer council vows continued search

Feb 3, 2023 | 1:09 PM

The City of Red Deer announced on Friday that the most recent site, formally recommended by council and supported by the Province, will not be the future location of the permanent shelter following negotiations with the property owner.

Council said they will continue to explore site options with the intention to provide a new site recommendation to the Province of Alberta.

“We were hopeful that by this time we’d be moving forward on a site that we truly believe aligns with our vision of shelter services in Red Deer. We’re disappointed, but we also understand that sometimes things don’t go as planned and we’re ready to move forward,” said Mayor Ken Johnston emotionally, adding this was a ‘temporary obstacle’, but council vowed at their special meeting on Tuesday they would persist on finding a suitable location.

“This process has been a journey; one our community has been more than patient going along with us on. We understand this most recent bump is frustrating, but we will not give up until we have a solution that is right for our community.”

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After engagements with citizens, contained in the “What We Heard” reports, community partners and businesses, city council created site parameters in July 2022, to inform the site selection process.

READ: City releases new permanent shelter ‘What we Heard’ report

Shelter Site Evaluation Parameters approved by Red Deer city council on July 4, 2022 (Supplied)

Since January 2022, three sites have emerged as potential locations for the future shelter. The first site considered by city council was located in Railyards downtown. Following targeted input sessions, council decided not to proceed with the site, stating it did not align with community needs and values, and removed it as a site option.

READ: Downtown location off table for permanent shelter; public consultations instead

The second site recommended by city council was located at the north end of Red Deer and was not supported by the Province due to concerns related to compatibility with nearby amenities. The City did not say what those amenities were.

READ: Second site proposed for future permanent shelter in Red Deer

The third site, out of 104 potential sites, located in southwest Red Deer, was unanimously supported by city council on October 11, followed by support from the Province; however, failed in land negotiations, triggering another round of site selection. The mayor did not share why the negotiations did not work with the landowner.

The City says they will not release the addresses of the recommended sites to maintain the privacy of the private property and landowners and will be focusing on next steps.

City of Red Deer’s Permanent Shelter Project Process Timeline. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

When asked if landowners were consulted with as part of the selection criteria process to see if they were even willing to put a shelter on their property, the mayor responded that other criteria through public feedback were prioritized first before consultations with property owners.

“We have and will continue to explore every option for the future permanent shelter in our community, and we do this with the intent to balance and ensure the needs of the entire community are considered,” said Johnston. “Red Deer, we heard you when you shared your thoughts on the shelter, and your voices will continue to guide the site selection process. I don’t know what area of our community the next site we recommend will be, but what I can tell you is that based on the parameters built with your voices as its guide, the downtown is not a preferred location.”

As a result, the mayor said the downtown Jackpot Casino (4950 47 Ave) was not a potential location. With the delays in site selection, the City said they will also begin having conversations about the continued operations of the current temporary shelter, which is permitted to operate at the Cannery Row building (5239 53 Avenue) site until February 1, 2024.

Council says they will go back to the original site evaluations provided by administration last summer, along with consideration of any new site opportunities that have come available in the last six months. Over the coming month, they said they will consider sites that best meet the analysis and work with the province to find a new location.

“We know there isn’t a perfect location that everyone will agree on – this comes with any project in a community. But we will do our best to find the right and best spot for shelter services in our community,” said Johnston.

“Addressing challenges such as homelessness cannot be done without a collaborative approach with partners throughout all levels of government,” said Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, who was present virtually at the live community update and re-emphasized the provincial government’s commitment.

Nixon drew on his expertise working in the non-profit sector for homelessness in Calgary. He says although it feels like a wall has been hit on the project, the City is not back to square one due to the work and research they have done over the past few years.

“As we work together, we will be able to bring many voices to the table to make these important decisions. It is imperative to recognize the consequences these decisions can have for a community if not made carefully. Additionally, we must realize the needs of those who rely on shelter spaces for warmth throughout the winters in Alberta.”

For more information on the shelter site selection process, visit reddeer.ca/shelter.