Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce Task Force on Homelessness Release Interim “What We Heard” Report

Following eight months of comprehensive research, reviews of best practices, targeted interviews, and community conversations, the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber) Task Force on Homelessness is pleased to announce the release of its interim “What We Heard” report.

“As we share this interim report, we extend our sincere gratitude to all those who engaged with us throughout our research phase,” said Lyn Radford, Task Force Chair. “The perspectives shared with us have been instrumental in shaping our understanding of the complex issue of homelessness in Red Deer and informing our interim report.”

Since May 2023, the Chamber’s Task Force has prioritized listening and learning from various organizations and individuals to better understand the homelessness situation in Red Deer.

The Task Force:

• reviewed studies, municipal approaches, and news articles regarding best practices in addressing homelessness in Alberta and across North America;

• toured 17 agencies and facilities providing support for individuals experiencing homelessness in Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer;

• conducted 12 targeted interviews with government officials, social sector agencies, and community members who are experienced in social services or connected to homelessness initiatives; and

• hosted two community conversations to learn and hear from the social sector and Chamber Members on their perspectives and experiences regarding homelessness in Red Deer, with 47 individuals participating in these conversations.

The interim report outlines the Task Forces’ understanding of the homelessness situation in Red Deer and provides a summary of what has been learned during the research phase.

“Assessing the data and research gathered through our business lens, the Task Force has identified six key overarching themes that contribute to homelessness in Red Deer and are areas where the business community can actively contribute to address the issue and advocate for meaningful change,” says Scott Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber. “We invite Red Deerians to review the report and provide their feedback on our findings by February 16, 2024. Your feedback is crucial in guiding our next steps as we strive to develop recommendations that are sound, relevant, and responsible. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in addressing homelessness in Red Deer.”

The interim report and feedback form may be viewed at:
https://www.reddeerchamber.com/homeless-task-force/.

The feedback form is at this link.

From the Homeless Task Force Report

A CASE FOR ACTION

During the City of Red Deer’s 2022 Point in Time Homeless count, 334 individuals were identified
as experiencing homelessness, more than double the 144 individuals identified as experiencing
homelessness in 2018.

Homelessness has a ripple effect throughout the community. Not only are the hundreds of Red
Deerians experiencing homelessness not being adequately supported in our community, but
homelessness impacts health and social services resources, crime and safety, and the reputation
and economic viability of Red Deer.

Recognizing the growing impacts of homelessness throughout Red Deer, the Red Deer & District
Chamber of Commerce (the Chamber) formed a volunteer Task Force of business leaders to
understand the homelessness situation in Red Deer better and identify specific areas where the
business community can actively contribute to addressing the issue and advocate for meaningful
change.

This interim report outlines the Task Force’s understanding of the homelessness situation in Red
Deer and summarizes what the Task Force learned during the research phase.

In the spring of 2024, the Task Force will deliver a final report using these findings to create a set of actionable recommendations for the community to consider.

2022 POINT IN TIME HOMELESSNESS COUNT

In 2022, the seven Albertan cities listed below coordinated point in time homelessness counts to create an understanding of homelessness across the province. While the cities coordinated their efforts, unique community trails and approaches impact the ability to make direct comparisons between the cities and results. Below, the number of individuals identified as experiencing homelessness and the city’s population are listed.

Calgary 2,782
Population: 1,413,8000

Edmonton 2,519
Population: 1,087,803

Grande Prairie 328
Population: 67,699

Lethbridge 454
Population: 104,254

Medicine Hat 70
Population: 65,949

Red Deer 334
Population: 105,883

Wood Buffalo 162
Population: 74,532

Source: Homeless Hub Community Profiles

KEY THEMES

Assessing the data and research gathered through our business lens, the Task Force has identified six key overarching themes that contribute to homelessness in Red Deer and are areas where the business community can actively contribute knowledge, experience, or resources to address the issue and advocate for meaningful change.

The overarching themes are:

1. Housing is a business and economic development issue
2. Community understanding of homelessness
3. It’s hard to go home when there is no home to go to
4. Collaborative fragmentation
5. Bureaucratization of homelessness
6. Conflicting civic priorities