Red Deer Minute: Encampment Report, Unemployment Rate, and the Upcoming Budget Adjustments

Red Deer Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Red Deer politics

This Week In Red Deer:

• This morning, at 8:00 am, the Council Agenda Review Committee will meet to review the agendas for next week’s regular Council meeting and budget debate days.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 1:00 pm, the Audit Committee will meet. On the agenda is the finalization of the Committee’s work plan, as well as a closed session to discuss a legal matter. Also on Wednesday, at 5:00 pm, the Housing and Homelessness Fund Adjudication Sub-Committee will meet. The bulk of the meeting will be held in-camera while the Committee discusses a Homelessness Supports Services Request for Proposal.
  
  
• The Red Deer Curling Centre is hosting the Grand Slam of Curling - Co-op Canadian Open at Servus Arena. The event takes place from Tuesday to Sunday and features the 16 top men's and women's teams from around the world. Draws take place at a variety of times - you can check out the schedule and buy tickets online.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• The City has unveiled its proposed budget adjustments - over a month later than usual. In order to sustain the current operational status quo, Administration is proposing a massive 10.65% increase in property taxes. Operational reserves have significantly dwindled as the City tapped into them to offset shortfalls in previous years, pushing it near its debt limit. We’ll be providing more commentary shortly! Council is scheduled to debate the budget adjustments from January 23rd to 26th.
  
  
• New unemployment numbers revealed that Red Deer has the highest unemployment in a major region in Alberta at 7.9%. Comparatively, Calgary sits at 5.2%, Camrose-Drumheller at 3.1%, Edmonton at 6.3%, and Lethbridge-Medicine Hat at 5.5%. The CEO of the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce called out the City of Red Deer for its lack of leadership on economic development, calling their efforts “disjointed”.
  
  
• Council has requested a new report to assess the handling of urban encampments and is seeking recommendations to enhance its response to those encampments. Council members endorsed Councillor Lee's motion to request such a report, and it is slated for release in the third quarter of this year. This initiative comes at a crucial time, with the City experiencing its first significant cold snap of winter and homeless shelters operating at full capacity. Safe Harbour is currently accommodating over 180 homeless individuals each night, and the Mustard Seed has increased meal provisions to support those in need.

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