Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce has formed a task to better understand homelessness in Red Deer and identify areas where the business community can help address the issue and affect change.
The chamber announced its intention to launch a Task Force on Homelessness in March.
Chaired by local community leader and business owner Lyn Radford, the task force consists of business owners and leaders in the Red Deer business sector.
“We all have a role to play in a vibrant and thriving Red Deer,” said Radford, in a statement.
“The Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce recognizes that effectively addressing homelessness requires a collaborative approach involving the government, social sector organizations, businesses, and residents working together.”
Currently, the task force is completing an environmental scan to understand the scope of the homelessness situation before engaging in consultations with the broader Red Deer community through a series of community consultations.
Community consultations are anticipated to launch in the fall, with an interim report of findings available in early 2024. A final report will be made public in the spring of 2024.
Once scheduled, information on the community consultations will be shared publicly on reddeerchamber.com.
“As Red Deerians, the task force members understand that addressing homelessness will contribute to the overall well-being and livability of the community that we are proud to call home. And as members of the business community, they have a vested interest in understanding the homelessness situation to help enhance the economic viability of our community,” said chamber CEO Scott Robinson.
Established in 1894, the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce is a non-partisan, collaborative business leader representing over 825 member businesses.
