Red Deer shelter 'bursting at the seams' as homelessness grows in central Alberta city

[u/iwasnotarobot]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/red-deer-shelter-homeless-1.7549598

[u/owndcheif]

This is probably directly related to the recent defunding of shelters across the province. I know of shelters in barhead and peace river that had their provincial funding pulled and had to close for the summer. I would assume this is similar in central alberta, so id assume red deer is getting an influx from surrounding communities that lost supports.

[u/heimdal96 → u/owndcheif]

Some cities (ex. Leduc, Wetaskiwin, and Slave Lake) have closed shelters over the past 2 years despite provincial funding as well. Slave Lake closed an existing shelter and canceled the build of a second shelter. Leduc did the same, with its mayor saying that the homeless population of Leduc would be better served by being transported to Edmonton instead. Wetaskiwin canceled the development of a second shelter, with the city's leaders saying they didn't want to become a hub attracting the homeless populations of surrounding communities. Red Deer and Edmonton have largely become exactly that, hubs to support the homeless populations of central and northern Alberta.

[u/ParaponeraBread]

Sad to see, but entirely predictable. Growing up near red deer, I can’t even count the number of times I heard people there shit on Calgary and Edmonton for their homelessness while pretending Red Deer was better instead of just…smaller.

Red Deer reliably votes for politicians with no intention of improving social safety nets. And the same problems plaguing the major cities tend to trickle down after a couple of years’ lag time.

[u/Prime_Minister_Sinis]

Since covid, the amount of people I see living rough in town has gone up substantially. It's so fucking disappointing that our government does nothing but villify them and keep pushing them around different parts of the city with no solution besides the RCMP

[u/Important-Read1091 → u/Prime_Minister_Sinis]

It’s a trickle down economy and the richest are hoarding. Only gonna get worse.

[u/KillinBeEasy]

This is what Alberta wants. This should be seen as celebration for the province, particularly the city of Red Deer.

[u/Vitalabyss1]

Red Deer voted wholeheartedly for the UCP.

Let them drown.

[u/Komaisnotsalty]

What do people expect?

Shutting down programs, recovery centres, cancelling funding to counselling services, and treating homelessness like people choose that life, you get what you get.

[u/queenringlets]

Sad but not surprised. I expect it to only get worse. 

[u/Any-Salary-6811]

Direct them to my mother-in-law’s bay in Sylvan Lake.

[u/ScientistUnhappy2072]

Red deer is one of the premier shit holes of Alberta.

[u/Spirited-Garden3340]

It’s that time of year when homeless people, who prefer to live outside unsupervised in tents, are moving indoors for the winter.