Hope Mission to become operator of Red Deer homeless shelter

Published 10:50 am Friday, December 19, 2025

Red Deer’s temporary shelter site will have a new operator as of April 1, 2026.

Hope Mission has been selected to assume shelter operations at the Cannery Row location, “due to their extensive experience providing shelter and essential services to Alberta’s most vulnerable,” the provincial government announced on Thursday, Dec. 18.

The site has been operated by Safe Harbour Society for a number of years.

“The province would like to thank Safe Harbour for their work in the community, and will work closely with the City of Red Deer, Hope Mission and Safe Harbour to support continuity of services for vulnerable Albertans,” the Government of Alberta stated.

“To actively respond to community needs, Hope Mission will submit a thorough community engagement plan, that will include Good Neighbour Agreements, proactive action to address possible encampments and plans for community outreach.”

Tim Pasma, Hope Mission senior director, said the nonprofit organization has been around since 1929.

“We have lots of experience running emergency shelter in Edmonton — we have a sophisticated network of shelters in the city,” said Pasma.

“That also includes a lot of wraparound supports, ranging from services such as recovery, housing, ID services, income supports and social work. We’re very comfortable in this type of setting. We have a lot of experience we think we can bring from an infrastructure point-of-view.”

Hope Mission currently operates a rescue van and kids and youth programming in Red Deer.

“We are familiar with the area and we are already there,” said Pasma.

“Our plan is to work collaboratively with Safe Harbour on a transition plan, in conjunction with the province. We’re going to make sure we’re ready so that when the transition happens we have our staffing and systems in place. That work has already somewhat begun and will (ramp up) in the new year.”

Kelli Steele-Stanton, Safe Harbour executive director, said the organization is “really supportive of this transition.”

“We are working alongside the province and the city on the transition (of the shelter site) that will be happening over the course of the next three to five months,” Steele-Stanton said earlier in the week.

“Safe Harbour is going to continue our medical programming. We’re also working with the province on expanding other supports towards the vulnerable population.”

The transition to Hope Mission as operator of the emergency shelter will not impact any other grant agreements between the Government of Alberta and Safe Harbour.

“For a number of years, Safe Harbour has been the only White Bison certified (Wellbriety) treatment centre in all of Canada. We’ve never been able to fully capitalize on or expand that programming here in Central Alberta because we’ve been doing so much,” said Steele-Stanton.

“This (transition) allows us, the province, the city and surrounding counties to come together. It’s not just about one shelter or one medical detox. It’s about coming together to truly building out a strategic framework to support the vulnerable population.”

Steele-Stanton said the transition to a new operator is “a positive move towards a permanent framework.”

According to shelter utilization reporting from Red Deer’s shelter operators, the maximum utilization reached was less than 72 per cent so far this season, with the average utilization sitting at 66 per cent.

Red Deer Mayor Cindy Jefferies said having a shelter operator confirmed is a positive thing for the city moving forward.

“This is a change for our community,” said Jefferies.

“Safe Harbour has been providing this service and doing a great job holding the pieces together for our community while we arrive at this decision. It’s been a long journey and not easy work for them, which has been complicated by the chaos of uncertainty. We’re happy to have a response and answer (about having a shelter operator in place).”

Council will have discussions on the shelter in the new year.

“This will hopefully help us make plans moving forward in a more fulsome way for our community. The community has been waiting for a solution on this for a long time,” said Jefferies.