A joint statement issued by the province and city on Friday announced they are working with the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society and Mustard Seed to move the two current shelter locations, including this outreach location along Allowance Avenue, out of residential areas.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
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A joint statement released by the province and City of Medicine Hat on Friday states that the city’s two current Mustard Seed locations are “not ideal” homeless shelters and will collectively search for a new permanent location.
Local MLA Justin Wright told a city committee Dec. 19 that a provincial plan to move the city’s homeless shelters out of residential areas is underway, and added the city had known about it for months but has badly mishandled a communications strategy.
Wright said a communications plan was forwarded to the city – potentially to head off initial controversy about shelter expansion – but the issue stalled out at city hall.
Wright told committee members the province and city would present a strong joint statement needed to quell controversy and assure residents near the Allowance Avenue location that a temporary change to an overnight shelter is “not a permanent solution.”
Friday’s statement signed by Wright, Mayor Linnsie Clark and Jason Nixon, minister of seniors, community and social services, assures a commitment to the city’s vulnerable population and says the government is currently working with the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society and Mustard Seed to open temporary additional emergency shelter beds during the winter.
“We continue to work together closely with local residents and service agencies to ensure that residents’ concerns are addressed and people can continue to access the services they need as the search for a new permanent location of the Mustard Seed continues,” reads the joint statement.
The location has been an increasing source of tension for area residents, who say it’s brought along crime and undesirable behaviour.
It was the focus of a heated public meeting at the Medicine Hat police station this fall, and in December.
Friday’s statement does not provide a potential location for a future shelter, MH Community Housing officials said they have evaluated several sites for suitability but haven’t made a final determination.
In the last four years, three applications to set up either day-time, overnight or sober-living facilities in the city centre or N. Railway Street has either failed at municipal planning committee, been overturned at an appeal board, or been abandoned.
— with files from Collin Gallant
