Red Deer Minute: Housing Prices, Grant Funding, and Community Investment Day

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• Today, at 10:30 am, there will be a City Council meeting. The meeting will begin in a closed session, wherein Council will discuss an update on the permanent shelter. Once the meeting opens up to the public, Councillor Dianne Wyntjes will bring forward a Notice of Motion proposing a review of the Community Development Grants Policy to allow community organizations to apply for operational funding. While program funding is available, operational costs like staffing and rent often lack financial support. The motion also calls for the Alberta government to review its community grant program to include operational funding. Council will also discuss urban encampments (more on that below), and the creation of an Ad Hoc Economic Development Committee.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 1:00 pm, the Audit Committee will meet. The Committee will discuss several reports, including a Consulting Services Information Report and a Capital Information and Expenditure Variance Report.
  
  
• On Thursday, at 1:00 pm, Council is hosting Community Investment Day. The event focuses on grants related to Arts and Culture and Sport and Recreation and highlights various grants, including the Community Culture Development Fund, Community Recreation Enhancement, and Inclusion Sport Grant, among others. The format includes a presentation by Administration on investment amounts and success stories, followed by Council discussions, a meet-and-greet session at City Hall, and media interactions in the Mezzanine.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has received the biggest applied research grant in its history - a record $3.25 million Mobilize grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to support data-driven innovation over five years. The grant will enhance RDP's applied research efforts in health care, energy technology, and child advocacy. It will also provide students with technology-based research and work-integrated learning opportunities. The funding aims to boost regional productivity, job creation, and innovation across multiple sectors. Other Alberta institutions, such as Olds College, Keyano College, and Medicine Hat College, also received grants from the same program.
  
  
• A report on urban encampments in Red Deer has been made public. It recommended building a new recovery-focused homeless shelter to address the rising number of individuals experiencing homelessness. The report, to be presented to Council today, suggests interim and long-term solutions, including camp clean-ups and advocating for a low-barrier 24/7 emergency shelter with recovery services. Despite dismantling 98% of encampments within 14 days, the number continues to grow, with a 75% increase projected by the end of 2024. The report also highlighted the need for more affordable housing and tailored shelter options for those facing personal barriers.
  
  
• Red Deer house prices have risen due to limited inventory, with the average residential price reaching $385,541, a 10.2% increase from last year. Semi-detached homes saw the largest jump at 21.7%, while detached homes and apartments rose 10.6% and 13.9%, respectively. Buyers are competing with newcomers and remote workers, while falling interest rates may be encouraging owners to hold onto their homes. Despite the supply shortage, overall residential sales were up 2% year-over-year.

-----

Donate:

Common Sense Red Deer doesn't accept any government funding and never will. We think you should be free to choose, for yourself, which organizations to support. If you're in a position to contribute financially, you can make a donation here.

-----

Share:

If you're not in a position to donate, we understand, but if you appreciate our work, you can help by spreading our message. Please email this post to your friends, share it on Facebook or Twitter, and help make sure every Red Deerian knows what's really going on at City Hall.