Red Deer Minute: Shelter Location, Electoral Map, and Mobile Overdose Prevention

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• This morning, at 10:30 am, there will be a City Council meeting. The meeting will begin in-camera (in secret) for discussion of a land matter and an Amalgamated Transit Union bargaining update. Once the meeting opens up to the public, Council will discuss the Riverlands Area Redevelopment Plan (Capstone), before heading back in-camera to hear an update on the Westerner Exhibition Association (WEA) Agreement Relationship.
  
  
• On Tuesday, the Red Deer & District Family & Community Support Services Board will meet. No time or agenda is available for this meeting yet.
  
  
• We are hosting a Pints & Politics event on Wednesday in conjunction with our friends at the Alberta Institute. Please join us for some casual drinks and an opportunity for everyone to get together with like-minded Albertans to chat about politics. There's a lot going on, so there will be plenty of conversation topics! The event will be held at Boston Pizza at 3215 Gaetz Avenue, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Please RSVP here.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• Mayor Ken Johnston announced to the community that Council has still been unable to find a location for the permanent homeless shelter. This issue has been an ongoing saga. The first site considered by Council was located in Railyards downtown, but did not go ahead as it did not align with community needs. The second site was located at the north end of the city but was not supported by the Province due to undisclosed concerns with nearby amenities. Now, the third location that Council selected was approved by the Province, but the private landowner declined the offer to sell.
  
  
• In related news, the Province announced that the Overdose Prevention Site will be transitioned to a mobile unit run by AHS in the next three to six months. The mobile unit will initially operate at the same location as the current overdose prevention site, but could move depending on changing needs.
  
  
• The federal government tabled a proposal in the House of Commons regarding a new electoral map. Under this proposal, the city would be represented by one MP rather than two MPs. The Red Deer riding would be surrounded by a large rural riding stretching from Ponoka to Didsbury. If the next election is called early (before April 2024), the current map will be used. But, if the election falls after April 2024, the new boundaries will be in effect. The rationale for the new ridings, as well as maps, can be found online.

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