The Cannery Row building at 5239 53 Avenue has been home to Safe Harbour's shelter since March 2020. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

"it should not be happening"

Meeting of the minds helpful, but fear remains ahead of shelter closure

Sep 12, 2021 | 8:00 AM

Red Deer’s shelter situation is on the precipice of a new chapter, Oct. 1 marking the first day without a larger temporary facility in 18 months.

In March 2020, amid declaration of a global pandemic, the Alberta government gave Safe Harbour Society funding to move into a much larger temporary shelter, up the street from its headquarters. The larger site offered much more space, plus toilets and showers.

For most of 2021, Red Deer city council and City admin went to-and-fro on how to avoid its closure, whilst awaiting the government putting shovels in the ground on a promised $7 million permanent facility,

Because of zoning denials, Safe Harbour’s expanded shelter will cease operations Oct. 1, instead of operating into 2022 at Railyard’s Cannery Row.

The division has been deafening, particularly between tired downtown business owners and those hoping to prevent people experiencing homelessness from being left out in the cold.

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On Sept. 8, more than 30 reps from social agencies met to brainstorm about how to mitigate the inevitable consequences of the shelter’s closure.

“Overwhelmingly, the consensus in the room (was) that Cannery Row, or a comparable site, should be operational until a permanent solution is found,” said Kristin Walsh, Safe & Healthy Communities Manager, City of Red Deer. “Aside from this, there is not a feasible solution that was determined that would fill the service gap and the anticipated challenges.”

Issues determined include:

• Increased pressure on the capacity of Mustard Seed, other shelters, emergency services, compliance and support services
• Lack of safe spaces for people experiencing homelessness, leading to increased loitering and rough sleeping
• Losing significant shelter capacity for people in need, and a lack of daytime supports
• Increase of urban encampments without direct access to support services.
• Increased health risks resulting in negative impacts to underserved clients and the healthcare system
• Increase in litter and debris

“Administration will continue to work with the community to serve vulnerable Red Deerians and keep people healthy and safe, while mitigating the risks as they arise,” said Acting Interim City Manager Sarah Tittemore.

“(The meeting) was just the first step in planning for October 1 and beyond; we believe that in working with community organizations and Red Deerians, is the only way to help our most vulnerable through this uncertain time.”

The larger facility has seen between 29-81 people seeking overnight shelter in 2021, with an average of 49 people nightly. With the move back to headquarters, Safe Harbour will only have 26 spaces, but with no washrooms or showers.

That number could drop still if COVID distancing restrictions return.

This could leave at least 55 people — “Red Deer’s most vulnerable citizens” — turned away heading into winter.

Kath Hoffman, Captain and Executive Director at Safe Harbour Society, says the next six months will show how much her agency’s services are needed. (Supplied)

Kath Hoffman, Captain at Safe Harbour, admits the meeting was productive and encouraging.

“There were so many lights shining in our harbour at that meeting,” she says. “It was great to have those good brains around the table trying to figure out how we’re going to respond to this.”

“We all know what’s coming, and what’s coming is what I tried to warn council and businesses about. I’ve said this isn’t going to help the way some think, and there will be spill-over. It can’t be helped. Here we are in the middle of this, nevermind COVID and an opioid crisis.”

Hoffman believes there are small things people and businesses can do to help, including overdose education and naloxone training.

She’s also hoping to secure more than a dozen transitional housing units by the end of October for people ready to make that leap.

“This very likely could mean death for people, especially if we don’t have people educated in ways they can help if they find someone in such a state. That’s reality technically every day. But I’m still amazed to find ourselves in this situation in this city, a city that says it’s welcoming, inclusive, respectful and diverse,” Hoffman says.

“There’s plenty of inviting the whole community, except — for people at Safe Harbour and other agencies, we live in that ‘except world.’ We need to be empowered and have leadership that supports instead of condemns us.”

If zoning is the biggest barrier, how do people still receive help, Hoffman ponders. What she concludes is that the next six months will be eye-opening.

“It’ll become apparent how important Safe Harbour’s shelter services are in the community, and how we’ve decreased the need for hospital beds. It’ll also become apparent that this problem isn’t Safe Harbour’s sole responsibility to solve, nor is it our fault everybody’s in the shape they’re in,” Hoffman says.

“People will realize when this resource is no longer there that peoples’ lives are being messed with, and strain will be put on everybody else. It’s ridiculous and it should not be happening.”

The City says an emergency shelter working group is now assessing the feasibility of various ideas brought forward at the meeting.