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By rdnewsNOW staff

Meeting requested

Fourth site for future permanent shelter no longer on table; focus placed on province

Mar 18, 2024 | 4:59 PM

The most recently considered site for a future permanent shelter in Red Deer is no longer on the table after city council ceased negotiations with the private landowner last week; the focus is now on the province.

City officials say the site in the northeast of Red Deer, first coming onto the radar in May 2023, was determined to be “cost prohibitive” based on the $7-million provincial funds committed. They elaborated that the size of the site, servicing required, and environmental factors all contributed to the financial constraints, making the site unviable.

Officials say city council is going back to the province to talk about a way forward in absence of a site, to call on the province to share their potential vision and operating model for a future permanent shelter, and to discuss inflationary impacts on the funding, before moving forward to find another site.

“This is a provincial project. With four sites previously and unsuccessfully put forward to the Province of Alberta, it is time for a different conversation – a conversation that includes discussion about process, about model and operator. We as a city council want to know what services a future permanent shelter might include. We want to know who it will serve. We want to know how it will be integrated into our community,” said Mayor Ken Johnston. “There are several factors currently hindering our ability to proceed, cost is just one of these factors. We know our community wants certainty, as does city council. We will continue to do everything we can to work with the province to site and develop a permanent shelter that acknowledges the needs of all in our city.”

The City says they have been a partner in recommending a site that would work best for the community, creating a site criteria evaluation matrix in July 2022 after public consultation.

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READ: Red Deer city council approves criteria for ‘Shelter Site Evaluation Matrix’

But Mayor Johnston says it is still the province’s jurisdiction to determine how the shelter is run and what services are to be delivered inside.

“We gave the province a 14-point outline of what we think the shelter should be. We, however, have not had that formally recognized by the province,” he said, adding the process has been emotionally exhausting and frustrating.

“I need to sit in front of the province, and I need them to come to the table with A. their ownership of this project and their own speaking to it and B. what can we expect in terms of the scope, the programming and the population it’s going to serve.”

Heather Barlow, Press Secretary for the Office of the Minister of Seniors, Community, and Social Services, responded in a statement, “While homelessness is the responsibility of all levels of government, the City of Red Deer is responsible for providing a zoned site. The province is committed to providing $7 million in capital funding and will provide operating funds once the shelter is built. Minister Nixon has met with the City of Red Deer on this project with the two local Red Deer MLAs and will be happy to meet with them again in the future.”

Officials note, over 130 sites were considered for a permanent shelter in Red Deer, with four formally put forward to the Province of Alberta for consideration:

• The first site considered by city council was located in Railyards (downtown). Following targeted input sessions, city council decided not to proceed with the site as it did not align with community needs and values. It was removed as a site option.
• The second site recommended by the city, located at the north end of Red Deer, was not supported by the province due to concerns related to compatibility with nearby amenities.
• The third site, located in south Red Deer, was unanimously supported by city council in October 2023, followed by support from the province; however, land negotiations failed.
• The fourth site put forward, undisclosed if it was a building or just a piece of land, was initially supported by the province; however, city council has now ceased negotiations as it was determined to be unviable.

READ MORE:

Downtown location off table for permanent shelter; public consultations instead

Second site proposed for future permanent shelter in Red Deer

Red Deer invited to meet with new Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jeremy Nixon regarding shelter

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

Mayor Johnston confirmed council will determine if revisiting the first site is still an option. When asked if promises were made to downtown businesses that a shelter would not be built in the area, the Mayor said it would be a “grievous error to assume”.

The City is not releasing the addresses of the sites put forward to the province to respect the privacy of the private property/landowners.

“We want to share more information with our community as we progress through this process. But right now, we are working to find a way forward with the province, and we do not have any new information to share just yet. We know this is disheartening for many. I, like you, hoped we might already have shovels in the ground for a new permanent shelter in Red Deer. But siting and developing a shelter in the right place in the right way is important work, and we want to ensure we are aligned in our vision and approach. We are committed to honouring a housing first focus that considers the needs and impacts for everyone in our city. Red Deer, I believe we will get there; we just need to find a new way forward,” said Johnston.

According to Red Deer’s Point in Time (PIT) Count, held in the fall of 2022, City officials say the number of persons experiencing homelessness in the city increased to 334 in 2022 from 144 in 2018.

City officials note the temporary shelter is approved to continue to operate in its current location at 5239 53 Ave until May 1, 2025, with a new public hearing to be held at that time to determine its status. City council stated they remain committed to continued emergency shelter in Red Deer.

READ: Shelter gets 15-month extension as wait for permanent site drags into 2024

A community update is expected to be provided following city council’s meeting with the province. A date has not been set for the meeting, but Mayor Johnston anticipates a response this week.

For more information on the future shelter project, visit www.reddeer.ca/shelter.

For a Frequently Asked Questions page, click here.

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