A Point in Time Homeless Count will take place on Thursday evening to identify the nature and extent of homelessness in the city.
It's Red Deer's sixth homeless count since 2012, with the last held in 2022.
“This year, we’re again collaborating with local agencies and the homeless-serving sector to conduct the street count and surveys in shelters, transitional housing, and urban encampments," said Jodi Kelloway, the city's acting superintendent of Social Wellness & Integration Supports, in a statement.
Red Deer Polytechnic Social Work Diploma students will also be part of the specialized unsheltered community teams for the first time since the pandemic.
The city said these combined efforts will provide valuable insights into homelessness trends and help target solutions.
“The count gives us a snapshot of our homeless population, allowing us to track changes over time. By working with community partners, we can enhance housing programs and services, helping to measure our progress in reducing chronic homelessness," Kelloway said.
Co-ordination for the count occurs at the federal, provincial and local levels.
Core standards are established nationally to capture a snapshot of homelessness across Canada. Provincially, the 7 Cities on Housing and Homelessness collaborate on key elements of the count for comparability among cities. At the local level, the city leads planning efforts and works closely with community partners to adapt the process to local needs.
