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By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

WHILE SEEKING LONGER TERM SOLUTIONS

Red Deer to continue with current encampment response measures

Sep 17, 2024 | 4:01 PM

City council has directed The City of Red Deer to continue with its current approach to responding to encampments while it investigates more lasting solutions to homelessness that would fit its residents’ needs.

In the Sept. 16 regular city council meeting, council unanimously passed a resolution with the following points of direction for administration and other officials:

• Consistent mitigation: Maintain the City’s current approach to encampment responses, striving for the most balanced mitigation strategy available to protect public lands while supporting vulnerable individuals.
• Advocacy for shelter strategy: Council will continue to advocate to the Government of Alberta for a comprehensive shelter strategy, including the development of a low-barrier 24/7 emergency shelter with a Recovery-Oriented System of Care.
• Review of transitional housing: Request the Housing and Homelessness Integrated Committee (HHIC) review the potential for new transitional housing infrastructure as an interim solution to support individuals transitioning out of homelessness.

In addition to the three main actions outlined in the resolution, administration committed to presenting council with an update on its Urban Response Policy and Procedure Guidelines to address community safety concerns, such as heating sources, in Q1 of 2025.

The City’s current approach to encampments attempts to balance public safety and the ability of residents to enjoy parks, protecting natural areas, and supporting rough sleepers by connecting them with services.

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The current policy dictates that encampments be dismantled within 14 days of the City first receiving a report. In 2023, 98.1 per cent of reported encampments were dismantled and cleaned up within 14 days or less.

Over the last five years, administration officials shared that Red Deer has cleaned up 2,966 sites for a cost of just over $2.8 million. They said that the number of encampments continues to grow and, as of mid-August, they project that this year’s numbers will have increased by 75 per cent from last year.

Some recent efforts by council to address homelessness in Red Deer have included: funding for land acquisition for a housing project with 100 units of affordable and permanent supportive housing planned; advocating to the provincial government for a local comprehensive permanent shelter; and endorsing an application to round two of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund.

READ MORE:

• City council endorses housing action plan initiatives for CMHC’s Housing Accelerator Fund
• City council approves provincial EOI request for permanent shelter project
• Red Deer city council approves grant for supportive housing
• Red Deer homelessness on the rise as ‘cycle of clean up’ continues

These actions may be taking steps in the right direction, but adminstration acknowledged it will take time to see the fruits of those labours, and more immediate action is needed.

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