Encampment in downtown Red Deer. (The Currency of Contribution, Episode 3)

By Alessia Proietti

Cracking down

Two Red Deer city councillors present motions for removal of urban encampments and OPS

Dec 18, 2023 | 8:26 PM

Two Red Deer city councillors are taking steps towards urban encampment responses and removing the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS).

At their regular meeting on Monday, Councillors Lawrence Lee and Vesna Higham brought forward their respective Notices of Motion.

Lee’s motion regarded urban encampment responses, stating that the City is responsible for the ecological protection of natural areas and the health and safety of citizens and staff accessing public lands, trails, and parks, where encampments can be found.

Last month, council discussed a report by administration, showing 597 encampments were cleaned by Parks staff in 2022 with a projected 800 or more for 2023.

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Lee added that encampments are not safe living environments, and that the city supports the community’s vulnerable populations with shelter and housing supports.

His motion read that he would like to see administration bring forward an update on encampments within the City’s publicly owned lands before the third quarter of 2024. The report would also include outcomes and analysis of possible service level changes, consider reducing the time to dismantle encampments, prevent their establishments, connect the individuals with social supports, and develop an accountability framework for those setting up or using encampments.

The motion will be considered by council at their January 8, 2024 meeting.

Higham then read her motion regarding the OPS, which was installed in September 2018 by the province without public consultation, municipal approval, or land-use zoning.

The motion states, “the operations of the OPS have occasioned ongoing and increasingly intolerable physical, emotional, and reputational harm upon our community generally, but in particular, upon the surrounding neighbourhoods of Railyards and the Downtown,” and “neighbouring residents, businesses, and members of the public have been gravely afflicted by repeated, ongoing incidents of crime, vandalism, smashed windows/doors, repeated bin/open fires, discarded needles/drug paraphernalia, garbage, urination, defecation, threats of violence, and aggressive behaviours by individuals under the influence.”

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The motion continues to state that individuals living with addictions deserve enhanced recovery resources to break free from the revolving door of self and community harm facilitated by the OPS.

The City endorsed the provincial government’s “Toward an Alberta model of wellness” report in 2022 with its recovery-focused approach, with some resources including the province’s expansion to its Virtual Opioid Dependency Program to Red Deer and the surrounding region, the Central Alberta Drug Treatment Court which celebrated its two-year anniversary last month in the city, and two new addictions treatment centres, the Dream Centre downtown and the Provincial Therapeutic Community in north Red Deer, providing 115 spaces.

Higham’s motion requests the Government of Alberta to formalize an orderly transition of the existing OPS out of Red Deer by the end of 2024 and, to provide in its place, greater harm reduction options within the community that focus on health, wellness, and recovery, including more detox capacity, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), recovery coaches, counsellors, and culturally appropriate health and wellness supports. The motion also reads that the Government provide dedicated grant funding to provide a continuous police presence in the immediate vicinity of the OPS and temporary shelter and substantially increase front-line supports for mental health and addictions within the community to better address the root causes leading to drug and alcohol addictions.

Her motion will be considered by council at their January 22, 2024 meeting.

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