City of Red Deer
Number of homeless in Red Deer more than double from last PiT count
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Point in Time (PiT) homeless count numbers released
Results from Red Deer’s Point in Time (PIT) Count show the number of persons experiencing homelessness in the city has increased to 334 in 2022 from 144 in 2018.
Of the 334 individuals,
- 29 per cent slept outside, which is an increase from 2018 at 13 per cent of the 144.
- Nearly 200 people were enumerated in local emergency shelters or transitional facilities in 2022, up from 86 in 2018.
Of the 334 people counted during the 2022 PiT Count, 156 individuals participated in the voluntary survey portion of the count. The count and survey provide valuable information that helps The City and partnering organizations better understand factors contributing to homelessness and how to best target local supports.
“The survey showed us that lack of income was the most reported reason for housing loss, and the top barrier to finding new housing,” said Ryan Veldkamp, Social Wellness & Integration Supports Supervisor. “This further helps us understand how crucial housing affordability is to tackling the issue of homelessness in Red Deer.”
The 2022 PIT count was conducted in shelters, on the streets, in the hospital and correctional facilities, and in transitional housing. Enumerators conducted the count in coordination with Alberta’s 7 Cities on Housing and Homelessness and with the federal government guidelines.
“Typically, the PiT Count is completed every other year; however, we had to delay the counts due to the pandemic,” said Veldkamp. “Over the past four years, outreach staff reported a rise in the number of people experiencing homelessness and the count and survey data confirmed their expectations.”
This was the fifth time the Point in Time Count has been conducted in Red Deer. The count is coordinated with communities across Canada and is funded by the Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. The data collected is used to build an understanding of how the population changes over time and what their needs are so housing programs and support services can be improved.
For more information on the Point in Time Count, visit www.reddeer.ca/PITcount. To read the community housing and homelessness integrated plan or for more information visit www.reddeer.ca/homelessness.
City of Red Deer
Red Deer will choose a new Mayor as Ken Johnston decides to step away
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It’s a telling detail about the person who leads Red Deer City Council. Always putting the city’s needs ahead of his own, Mayor Ken Johnston has announced his intentions within days of the opening of Nominations for October’s municipal elections,
After 12 years on council, Mayor Ken Johnston has decided against running for a second term as Mayor this fall. Johnson shared his decision in front of colleagues and supporters in a touching announcement on Wednesday.
At 71 years old, Johnston remains vibrant, passionate and healthy. He says that’s exactly why he and his wife Carolyn have decided now is the right time to start their next stage of life together.
Mayor Johnston listed a number of highlights and achievements he can look back on, including his help advocating for the redevelopment of Red Deer Regional Hospital, the growth of Red Deer Polytechnic, and positive moves in Economic Development.
All these lead of a feeling of ease about the decision to step away, though affordable housing and a permanent shelter for the homeless remain pressing concerns.
With about 8 months remaining in his term, Mayor Johnston is planning to push hard to move the needle on these housing issues.
“We’re looking forward to some more work and we’ll be going to the community shortly about it. So I still have optimism that maybe before the term is out we can have an announcement.”
This is the second major political announcement in Central Alberta in the last number of days. Earlier this week Red Deer Mountain View MP Earl Dreeshen announced he won’t be running in the next federal election.
City of Red Deer
Council ends reduced fine option for early ticket payment, school and playground zones start at 7 AM
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City Council approves first reading of updated Traffic Bylaw and General Penalty Bylaw
Red Deer City Council completed first reading of updated Traffic Bylaw (3707/2025) and General Penalties Bylaw (3036/A-2025) that will provide clarity and consistency in application of the bylaws as well as eliminate challenges in enforcement.
Key updates to the bylaws include:
- Ticket Pre-Payment:
- Removing the option to pay a parking ticket early to receive a reduced fee from the General Penalty Bylaw and adding it to the Traffic Bylaw.
- School and Playground Zone Start Times:
- Through investigating requests from schools to have school and playground zones start at 7 a.m., rather than 8 a.m., Administration determined that almost all school and playground zones in the city have students on the street prior to 7:30 a.m. To be consistent across the city, the start time is being moved to 7 a.m. providing an added measure of safety for all students.
- Salt on Sidewalks:
- Removing the provision prohibiting the use of salt on sidewalks as this provision was rarely reported and it is difficult and costly to enforce.
- Permits:
- More structure was added to the bylaw to clearly articulate conditions and requirements of Use of Streets Permits, as well as Excavation Permits and Alignment Permits.
- Lastly, fees for closures impacting on-street and off-street stalls have been adjusted to reflect the actual revenue in each parking zone rather than the flat fee.
- Penalties:
- Penalties have been reviewed and updated.
- During the last bylaw adoption, the penalty associated with vehicles being towed due to snow or street sweeping operations was inadvertently missed. This penalty has been added back in at a slightly higher amount due to an increase in the cost to tow a vehicle through The City’s contractor. This prevents the costs associated with towing vehicles during these operations from being subsidized by the tax base.
“These updates streamline the bylaws to create clarity for residents and administration,” said Erin Stuart, Inspections and Licensing Manager with The City. “They also help to eliminate regulations that are challenging to enforce and bring penalties in line with other City Bylaws.”
Second reading of both bylaws is anticipated for January 27, 2025.
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