Red Deer Minute: Shelter Opposition, College Donation, and City Immunization Policy

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

This Week In Red Deer:

• Council returns to action this week with four meetings scheduled, starting with a meeting of the Emergency Advisory Committee at 9:00 am this morning. There’s not a lot to report on this particular meeting, as Council has opted to hold the majority of it in-camera.
  
  
• On Tuesday there will be a meeting of the Housing and Homelessness Integration Committee at 5:00 pm. At this meeting, there will be updates on the temporary and permanent homeless shelter as well as a presentation on a focused shelter plan that will aim to reduce the total number of residents who rely on emergency shelter support. There will also be an update concerning COVID-19.
  
  
• Wednesday features two meetings, starting with a meeting of the Municipal Planning Commission at 9:00 am. At this meeting, Council will make an amendment to the Subdivision Officer’s Authority Committees Bylaw. Later on in the day, there will be a meeting of the Public Art Commission.

Last Week In Red Deer:

• Downtown advocates said Red Deer City Council is headed for a wave of public backlash over the proposed river-side site location for a permanent homeless shelter. Critics of the newly proposed location can’t believe that, after all of the opposition to the temporary shelter site at Cannery Row, Council is proposing to locate a permanent site just a five-minute walk away at 4934 54th Ave.
  
  
• City Council gave first reading to the “Council COVID-19 Immunization Policy” bylaw at their last meeting. If approved, Council members who have not submitted proof of vaccination will have to provide a negative rapid test before an in-person event. The immunization policy includes all Council members and volunteers appointed by Council to agencies, boards, or committees.
  
  
• Local agriculture entrepreneur Robert Saik donated $100,000 to Olds College. Saik is the CEO of AGvisor Pro and his gracious investment will go towards an endowment fund for the Robert Saik AgTech Awards. The awards are intended to provide two $2,500 scholarships each year to students from urban areas enrolled in agricultural technology programs.

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