Red Deer Minute: Issue 243

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

📅 This Week In Red Deer: 📅

• There will be a City Council meeting on Tuesday at 10:30 am. The City of Red Deer is considering withdrawing from the Central Alberta Economic Partnership (CAEP), a regional economic development alliance representing over 30 communities in Central Alberta. CAEP provides access to regional initiatives, investment readiness programs, professional development, and collaboration opportunities, with Red Deer holding a board seat filled by Councillor Chad Krahn. Membership costs $90,333 for 2025/26 and contributes to CAEP’s operating budget. Withdrawal would require one year’s notice and take effect in March 2027. Administration recommends withdrawal, citing the ability for Red Deer to pursue economic development initiatives more directly aligned with local strategic priorities, while still engaging in regional collaboration through alternative partnerships. The final decision rests with Council, with notice needing to be submitted by March 31st, 2026.
  
  
• In January 2026, the Red Deer region recorded a seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate of 8.1%, down from 9% in December 2025, but still the highest in Alberta. The region’s labour force grew by about 1,000 people, while employment increased by 1,500. By comparison, unemployment rates in other Alberta cities were lower, including Lethbridge at 7.4%, Edmonton at 6.8%, and Calgary at 6.7%. Provincially, Alberta’s unemployment rate fell to 6.4%, slightly below the national rate of 6.5%. Employment gains were seen mostly among 15- to 24-year-olds, people over 55, and the self-employed, while 25- to 54-year-olds and public and private sector workers saw declines. Over the year, employment grew in industries such as construction, finance, real estate, and health care, and in occupations including sales, education, social services, and manufacturing. 
  
  
• Red Deer City Council has given First Reading to two proposed zoning bylaw amendments that could allow future shelter use at 7740 40 Avenue, moving the proposals toward a Public Hearing on February 25th, 2026. The City has expanded communication efforts beyond legal requirements, including notifying nearby businesses, sharing information through email lists, and posting updates publicly. Community members can provide input in writing or in person at the public hearing, which will inform council before Second and Third Readings. Only if all three readings are approved would the rezoning take effect, allowing future shelter development to proceed through separate approvals. 
  
  
• An appeal to challenge the permanent closure of Red Deer’s overdose prevention site (OPS) will be heard in Edmonton on May 8th. The site, operated by Alberta Health Services after taking over from Turning Point in 2023, was permanently closed on March 31st, 2025, following a Council motion to shift focus to health, wellness, and recovery programs. The closure was previously contested in Court of King’s Bench in Red Deer last June, but the challenge was dismissed. Aaron Brown, a former client of the OPS, filed the appeal claiming that the closure violated his and other clients’ rights under sections 7, 12, and 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. An interim injunction had briefly allowed the site to operate 24 hours in January 2025 after provincial cutbacks, but efforts to extend operations until the trial were denied. 
  
  
• The Step Up Step Down program in Red Deer, offered by Recovery Alberta at the Sheldon Kennedy Centre of Excellence, has received a $10,000 grant from Best Buy Canada. The program supports youths aged 13-17 with mental health or addiction challenges, providing both live-in treatment and intensive outpatient options that involve active participation from family or caregivers. Best Buy’s funding comes through its Teen Tech for Tomorrow initiatives, which aim to promote tech equity and open new opportunities for Canadian teens. The grant will help the program continue offering therapeutic support, group sessions, and psycho-educational programming to youths and their families. Since 2008, Best Buy has awarded over $4 million in grants to Canadian schools, supporting technology access and student development.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

We’re planning to host events soon and we want your input!

What types of events would you like to see? Casual get-togethers with like-minded people? Speakers? 

Let us know!

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!