Red Deer emergency shelter location to be extended, no new leases found
After searching for new temporary shelter locations, City of Red Deer administration is recommending the Cannery Row emergency shelter site be extended to serve those experiencing homelessness in the city.
City officials said in a press release that no alternate locations for the temporary shelter were found and that administration will recommend to city council on Monday that the Cannery Row site be extended beyond its permit to operate until Sept. 30.
“The search and call for business opportunities has resulted in only one viable option for the temporary emergency shelter, and that location is a lease opportunity at the current Cannery Row site located in Railyards, said Sarah Tittemore, community services general manager, in a statement.
“Administration has not been able to find another viable lease option for the temporary emergency shelter,” Tittemore said. “If council doesn’t want to pursue the lease option, we’ll need further direction on alternative options.”
According to Tittemore, the city has created a crime prevention through environmental design analysis to “improve the site” and see what other options the city can pursue to “reduce crime” in the area surrounding Cannery Row.
The shelter is operated by the Safe Harbour society, which is funded by the province, and has been operating at the Cannery Row building since March 2020.
City council created the temporary shelter to ensure physical distancing between patrons during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The use of the temporary site had already been extended by Red Deer city council this year in March.
In May, Red Deer city council approved more than $41,000 for a plan to cover enhanced business and resident engagement, security, cleaning, and a safe walk program for the Railyard neighbourhood where the shelter is located.
Additionally, the city approved $8,500 to cover business licence fees in 2022 for businesses in that area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.