Red Deer city council holds a special meeting on April 29. (rdnewsNOW/Ashley Lavallee-Koenig)

By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

DEVELOPMENT PERMIT

Safe Harbour Emergency Shelter granted operation extension to May 1, 2026

Apr 29, 2025 | 5:12 PM

Red Deer’s Emergency Homeless Shelter, run by Safe Harbour, has received council approval to continue operating out of its current Cannery Row location for one more year, provided it adheres to certain conditions.

On April 29, council considered a development permit for 4-5239 53 Avenue, a parcel within a Direct Control District under the Zoning Bylaw and the current location of Safe Harbour’s shelter. It opened in March of 2020 and has come before council for renewed operational approval multiple times since.

Acting as the development authority for the parcel, council considered the merits of allowing the shelter to continue its operations in its current location for two more years, expiring May 1, 2027, or denying the application and forcing it to close on May 1, 2025, when the current approval expires.

Councillor Dianne Wyntjes proposed an amendment, which passed 5-3, changing the new approval expiry to May 1, 2026, instead. Victor Doerksen, Chad Krahn and Kraymer Barnstable were opposed to the amendment.

With the term of the agreement reduced to one year rather than two, the amended resolution passed 6-2, with Councillors Wyntjes and Vesna Higham opposed.

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The agreement includes conditions such as: multiple outside inspections on a daily basis, maintaining a clean parking lot, grassy area and courtyard; relocating the main entrance to the east side and upgrading its security; providing 24/7 on-site security; and removing the existing Sea-Can off-site by May 30.

“We want to work with the community, we want to collaborate, we want — like everybody else does — to see people living a healthier life, and the conditions are not unreasonable,” commented Kathy Schepp, Safe Harbour board chair. “We understand that debris and an unkept area is difficult for residents to look at and we would equally like to keep our area clean.”

Despite the conditions, which were in place with the current agreement as well, eight community members in the surrounding area issued letters of concern following stakeholder engagement. These concerns primarily focused on potential property value impacts, as well as challenges like littering, theft, drug use, vandalism, and more.

“We understand their frustrations. Of course, our hope is to collaborate more with community and to work together, as well as work with community members; keep an eye on the people we serve, on the staff we employ, and try to balance all the issues that exist in running a shelter,” said Schepp. “Some days are better than others, but I would hope that people know we are aware.”

Wyntjes cited some of these concerns in her comments, sharing frustration with the lack of a long-term solution. She said her vote against the extension was to show community members she hears their concerns, and to show the province that things need to change.

“Getting people healthy is not the responsibility of the city, it is a provincial health and wellness matter,” she stated.

Higham echoed these concerns, stating the city can’t keep travelling down the same path, yet expect a different result.

“We’re well over $3 million that we spend in this community on issues related to mental health, addictions, crime and homelessness in our community. These are all, by and large — other than the policing and crime — provincial jurisdictions,” said Higham.

Within its 21,000 squared-feet, the shelter serves 150-180 individuals daily. In 2024, it saw a total of 49,315 shelter entries from 1,336 unique guests.