While not listed initially, city expects encampment funding at some point

By Collin Gallant on October 25, 2024.

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Two days after Medicine Hat city council renewed a goal to drive a local multi-agency response to crime, homelessness and “social disorder” in the city, four other Alberta cities are at the centre of provincial-federal talks on just that topic.

Local housing officials told the News they expect funding – aimed at providing emergency shelter this winter – to be earmarked for Medicine Hat soon.

City councillors have painted their goal as working on the larger issues, with other levels of government and local social agencies, though Thursday’s announcement came as a surprise.

“It’s good news, maybe,” Coun. Andy McGrogan said Thursday after Alberta Community Minister Jason Nixon and his federal counterpart Sean Fraser traded terse press releases early in the week, then announced some initial agreement late Wednesday night.

The breakthrough reportedly came after Ottawa approached cities directly to access a $250-million national fund to provide urgent housing to those in homeless encampments as winter approached.

With talks now resumed, both said initial approval for funding in four centres – Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and Lethbridge – had been secured.

That’s after city council debated the topic of a new action plan in the Hat on Monday, and even a statement that local MLA and Premier Danielle Smith is interested to discuss projects.

“We’re not trying to take over anyone else’s responsibilities, but hey, we’re here and can lead a project so let’s get something happening,” said McGrogan. “Let’s try and move the markers a little bit.”

Council approved the item unanimously despite heavy questioning from Mayor Linnsie Clark about what the eventual program or partnership would look like.

After the meeting, Clark said a program could be positive, but she is waiting for a proposal due next month that will “flesh out what this actually means.”

“We have excellent social service agencies locally, and are one municipalities that has an external agency that specifically works on housing,” she said. “We’ve been a leader … and I think you can work with the province without jurisdictional creep”

She declined further comment Thursday.

Medicine Hat Community Housing manager Jaime Rogers said the agreement being discussed involves temporary measures, and will likely include Medicine Hat.

“We are of the understanding that there will be money coming to Medicine Hat specifically for winter response,” she said.

This month her agency has identified up to 46 individuals who are either involved in the overnight shelter program or have refused housing services and are “sleeping rough” outdoors, mainly in city parks and natural areas.

“That is a higher number than we’ve seen traditionally, but there are housing support resources available,” said Rogers.

In 2023 local police responded to 130 calls at encampments, and since last spring have operated a team to visit camp locations and offer services.

The PEACE team is comprised of police officers, its addictions and mental health crisis team, fire department, Medicine Hat Community Housing and the parks department.

Last week, staff recommended removing storage containers that act as market stalls across from city hall, stating the closed walkway between them had become a make-shift overnight shelter for most of each week.

Heavy cleaning costs and general public safety risks were cited.

McGrogan, a former police chief, said Medicine Hat has strong history of developing and executing police pilots, and the vision discussed at council planning session was for further partnerships.

Rogers, too, says high-profile problems throughout the city are not only related to housing, but drug use, mental health issues, general affordability and crime.

She also said drug abuse and violence are not exclusive problems of the unhoused population.

“Who the city partners with (which agencies) will be very important,” she said, adding that when substantial crime or drug addiction is involved, a person’s “housing status is irrelevant at that point.”

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