City of Red Deer
Process of picking location for homeless shelter moves toward final decision August 29
Shelter site selection process moves to next phase
Two of the five phases of the site selection process are complete; this includes Phase 1: Public Engagement and Phase 2: Policy Direction to inform Process Design. The remaining three phases that lead up to a final site decision on August 29 includes the following:
Phase 3: Technical Review & Assessment Phase:
- July 13 – 22: commercial realtor to conduct site search. Two meetings were held the week of July 11 to 15 with the commercial realtor. The first was with members of administration to provide information on the site selection process and the approved matrix. The second meeting was with Mayor Ken Johnston and Deputy Mayor Lee to provide further Council perspective.
- July 22 – 25: initial technical assessment conducted by administration prior to site visits
- July 25 – August 5: site visits and enhanced technical review of short-listed sites
Phase 4: City Council Review
- August 15: City Council meeting: administrative recommendation of sites based on City Council’s policy direction through the development of its matrix.
- August 15 – 21: Additional administrative technical review of additional sites (if directed by Council)
- August 21 – 26: City Council review and evaluation using their site evaluation matrix approved on July 4, 2022.
Phase 5: Site Decision
- August 29: Council to make final decision about the future shelter site at their regular meeting using the site selection matrix as one element of the decision.
Additionally, during Phase 3, administration will put out a call for privately owned sites, through The City’s website. This call is to see if there are any privately owned sites out there that are not yet on the market, but that property owners might be interested in selling for the purposes of an integrated shelter. More information about this will be released in the coming days.
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Call for privately owned properties for consideration during shelter site selection process
Private property owners who are interested in selling their site for the purposes of an integrated shelter are invited to submit their information until Wednesday, July 27.
Currently, a commercial realtor is developing a high-level property listing for technical review, but if there are any properties that are not currently on the market, they can be submitted by the property owner through an online form on The City’s website.
On June 24, 27 and July 4, Council developed and approved the Shelter Site Selection Matrix that will guide the site selection process for the future shelter in Red Deer. Below is the full matrix and definitions approved by Council:
SITE CRITERIA SUB-CRITERIA POINTS PERCENTAGES
Ability to acquire site: 20 points
Acquiring the optimum site can be done in a timely manner. Acquisition options and costs are important considerations.
Cost 40%
Zoning 15%
Timing 40%
General 5%
Adequate size: 20 points
The size of the site considers the potential need to adjust service delivery at any given time. It will accommodate proposed integrated amenities and services. It considers the land size needed to accommodate outdoor gathering spaces and activities. The site already has a building or can accommodate a building that meets the Province’s minimum requirement of 10,000 square feet.
Adequate land size (outside/inside) 30%
Can accommodate purpose built/dignified spaces 20%
Can accommodate on-site/integrated services 30%
Future flexible/expansion opportunity 10%
General 10%
Broad community impact: 24 points
The site aligns with The City’s vision for the community. Community impact includes considerations such as, impacts on economic and business development, and municipal operations. It includes potential reputational impacts and financial impacts (both capital and operating). It also includes impacts to those accessing shelter services in our community. The site considers impacts to our community as a whole, including health, and safety for all in our valued places and spaces that are enjoyed by our citizens.
Operational and Budgetary Impacts 17%
Alignment with Community Vision (Strategic Plan/Downtown Vision/Vision
2040) 25%
Impact to City Reputation 13%
Economic Impact 25%
Safety Impacts 17%
General 4%
Impacts to surrounding area: 26 points
Impacts to businesses, residences, parks, trails, and schools are a priority consideration in selecting site. The city’s reputation is considered. A preferred site can accommodate and foster development of a safe, secure shelter.
Impacts to businesses 23%
Impacts to downtown 19%
Impacts to Parks, Trails and Greenspaces 19%
Proximity to Schools 12%
Impacts to Residential Neighbourhoods 23%
General 4%
Access to services & supports: 10 points
Safety and basic needs for all is a priority. Regularly utilized services and supports that would not be co-located are taken into consideration. Sites where co-located services can operationalize are preferred.
Access to transit and transportation 10%
Distance/proximity to supports/services 20%
Foot Traffic Patterns 20%
Enables delivery of 24/7 integrated service 20%
Enables delivery of basic amenities/services 20%
General 10%
If you are a property owner and would like to submit a site for consideration, please fill out and submit the online form here.
For information on the future shelter site selection process, please visit www.reddeer.ca/shelter.
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
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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