Next week the city will likely hold its last homeless count during the fall and opt for a spring count in the future.
Red Deer previously held two Point in Time Homeless Counts in October in 2012 and 2014.
“In 2018 we will most likely move to a spring count and then we can be consistent with other communities across Canada and give a broader picture,” said Roxana Nielsen Stewart, the city’s social planning supervisor.
She said there has been lots of debate about the right time to hold counts.
“People think it’s a good time to have a count in the winter time because it’s cold out. But sometimes in the winter time people do move indoors more. Family members or friends will accommodate people. In the summer time there is an employment swing that happens. People move to a community looking for employment so they might not be here for a long term.
“The fall and spring have been found to maybe give a better representation of the population.”
Next week Red Deer will be one of seven Alberta communities taking part in homeless counts within the same 24-hour period starting on Oct. 19 and into the morning of Oct. 20.
She said Red Deer has been working on its alignment with the Alberta’s other six major communities — Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Edmonton has been holding counts in the fall for many years and will also likely move to a spring count.
Enough volunteers have come forward to fan out across Red Deer for the city’s homeless count on Wednesday. About 200 volunteers are needed to walk the neighbourhoods and survey people. Training is happening this week and next week.
During the 2012 count, volunteers counted 279 homeless in the city, either in shelters or in the community. In 2014 there were 137. Red Deer did not do counts prior to 2012.
Nielsen Stewart said Point in Time Homeless Counts provide a snapshot and basic information on those who are homeless.
Red Deer has a five-year plan to end homelessness, which aims to end homelessness by 2018.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com