Mayoral candidates McGrogan, Samraj and Rose comment on priorities for homeless shelter

By ZOE MASON on October 14, 2025.

zmason@medicinehatnews.com

Candidates running for mayor of Medicine Hat agree that a new permanent homeless shelter location will need to balance accessibility for users against prosperity and security for the neighbourhood.

Homelessness is a major concern on the minds of voters ahead of the Oct. 20 municipal election. Following the closure of the Mustard Seed on Allowance Avenue in February, city officials have struggled to find a satisfactory site to replace the homeless shelter.

A new location was announced in August, when the Mustard Seed and the City of Medicine Hat agreed on 2055 Saamis Dr. NW as the site for a new permanent homeless shelter. But following concerns raised by the community, the Mustard Seed withdrew the application in September.

The city, the province and the Mustard Seed are continuing to explore other options for a permanent shelter location.

Andy McGrogan says a permanent emergency shelter location is a crucial need in the city. He says people experiencing homelessness are part of the community, and they matter.

“The challenge is to find a location that meets the needs of the people using the shelter and the needs of the residents and businesses in the surrounding neighbourhood.”

While McGrogan doesn’t provide specific suggestions for a new location, he emphasizes the need to continue to consult residents and hear them out on their concerns.

“Whatever location is to be considered, it will always be one that will test our sense of community as well as the strength of our ability to collaborate and work through challenging issues to find viable solutions for our city,” he said.

Alan Rose agrees that balancing the concerns of residents, businesses and shelter clients is challenging but essential.

“This is a large task, but if we include all the stakeholders from the start and try to address each other’s concerns, we should be able to reach an acceptable solution,” he said.

He also suggests consulting with other municipalities who have implemented homeless shelters successfully.

Candidate Kris Samraj objected to the proposal that was scrapped in September. He says that while it would have reduced the visibility of homelessness, it also would have separated vulnerable people from the social services they need, which are located downtown.

Samraj suggests a more central location, possibly even built into city hall. But he says that requires more investment in mitigating side effects for the downtown community.

He also thinks it’s important to keep consultations focused on the people who are affected by this decision.

“As difficult as the conversation about placement is, it needs to happen with those accessing the shelter and those directly adjacent to any proposed site. The community as a whole should be aware and consulted, but it is important to understand whose voices we are centring in this conversation,” he said.

Mayor Linnsie Clark and candidate Drew Barnes have yet to respond to the News’s online election guide question about the homeless shelter. Mark Fisher has not participated in the News’s online election guide.

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