Red Deer approves two-year extension of temporary shelter; questions overdose prevention site

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Multiple business and property owners attended the meeting ending at around 11 p.m., in opposition of the amendment. While expressing gratitude for the cleaning teams and RCMP officers, they shared stories of various incidents of vandalism, litter, loitering, drug paraphernalia and other waste found.

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Leon Ossterhoff, a commercial property developer, requested that the city reduce property taxes for owners within a specific range of the shelter as a form of “harm reduction” to recuperate the costs of lost business and repairs.

Others, like James MacDonald, a nearby business owner, acknowledged the need for a shelter but pointed to the associating Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) as a source of the neighboring issues.

“What we’ve essentially done is create a lawless area,” said Oosterhoff.

Tracy Chabot, owner of a business in Railyards and recently opting out from an advisory committee for downtown revitalization, claimed she removed 70 homeless individuals off her property from September to late November 2021. She also voiced opposition against the OPS, saying it, in tandem with the shelter, enables users.

Kristin Walsh, Manager of Safe & Healthy Communities for the City, presented a table showing a decrease in downtown complaints; however, Chabot says that is because business owners feel defeated. She was also allegedly excluded from a previous downtown committee meeting regarding the shelter.

Chabot claims she has conducted interviews with homeless individuals utilizing the shelter and the OPS and discovered many of them were not from Red Deer. Chabot believes the shelter and OPS invite traffic and without it, the demand would match that of previous years, making it more manageable. She suggested the shelter and relating services be moved near the new recovery centre in Chiles Industrial Park, to have in one designated place.

Kath Hoffman, Executive Director of the Safe Harbour Society, was also present, confirming business concerns were true.

She said, however, that out of the 70-90 individuals utilizing the shelter each night, 85 per cent were from central Alberta, with an increase in mental illness and harder drug addictions seen over the years.

Sarah Tittemore, General Manager of Community Services for the City, said the most recent study in 2018 noted out of 144 homeless individuals in Red Deer, 74 or 51 per cent were not locals.

“We are not causing the problem. We came because the problem was there,” said Hoffman. “We’re trying.”

Chelsea Harding, Asset Manager for Steiner Properties Ltd. who own the Cannery Row building, also confirmed business owners’ claims, admitting they were as well once part of the opposition. However, she expressed on their behalf the need for the shelter, especially during the pandemic, that the problems of homelessness and drug addiction were in the city prior, are currently in other cities as well, and a long term plan is needed from the city for community involvement rather than moving the homeless to another location.

Harding shared that the property owners had been willing to work with the City in the past to invest in redecorating the exterior of the location if the funds were matched, but the offer did not follow through.*

*(see Editor’s note below)

While no other members of the public voiced in favor of the amendment at the hearing, some did in letters, expressing concerns over the potential increase in loitering and crime, cold weather impacts, and the continuation of the problem.

“The shelter continues to care for over one hundred people daily, providing individuals with basic needs that are essential for human survival,” wrote Nikki Smith.

Council discussed an extension to mitigation strategies originally presented in May 2021. They are described as tactical implementations such as security, cleaning, a safe walk program, a Vandalism Cleanup Support Grant Program of $50,000 per year, and free business licenses in Railyards. These added services are currently funded through the State of Local Emergency, which is in place until February 15. Council will consider at their Jan. 31 meeting $593,600 to continue the mitigation strategies for the Railyards neighbourhood in 2022 and 2023.

Upon hearing resident concerns, Councillor Vesna Higham initially proposed a new bylaw which would grant an automatic six-month extension, becoming a 26-month extension on the condition that the OPS be moved away from the shelter. Garnering support from Councillor Kraymer Barnstable, Councillor Bruce Buruma, and the mayor, Councillor Higham withdrew the proposal after being told it would need to go through a new public hearing and three readings.

As no other locations in the city offered to provide as a temporary shelter other than Cannery Row, all councillors except for Councillor Buruma and Councillor Dianne Wyntjes agreed to the amendment.

“The decision to allow the operations at Cannery Row was a difficult one, but what we need to remember is that we are planning for a fully integrated permanent shelter that transforms how we support the individuals who access it. The permanent integrated shelter will provide hope and dignity for those in need while also integrating into the community,” said Johnston.

“Give us a chance, give us an opportunity, give me an opportunity as your mayor to move this issue along.”

Council confirmed the zoning and development process for the potential permanent shelter location will begin in the next few weeks.

Council deferred consideration of the Development Permit for the temporary shelter to January 31, 2022.

*Editor’s Note: A previous version of the story erroneously reported Chelsea Harding as the owner of the Cannery Row building but she is instead an employee of Steiner Properties Ltd., owners of the building. The article also stated investments offered for the redecorating of the exterior and fencing were her own but in fact were made by Steiner Properties Ltd. for redecorations and not fencing.