Photo courtesy of the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
The Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce is moving forward with recommendations from the Report on Homelessness Taskforce.
The primary recommendation in the report was to create a not-for-profit society led by business leaders, Indigenous partners, the City of Red Deer, and other community representatives.
“The feedback we have received overwhelmingly supports the recommendations we have proposed in our report,” said Scott Robinson, CEO of the Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce.
Going forward, the chamber is now working to identify a transition committee to begin implementing the report’s recommendations.
“This committee would be tasked with the responsibility to lead and create a long-term strategy and drive accountability and solutions to the challenge of homelessness in our community,” Robinson said.
The committee’s mission is to form the organization, create bylaws, and acquire charitable status.
The committee will also work to establish an initial budget and operate the foundation.
“The time for our community to lead this significant challenge is now. As the dynamics of homelessness change, so should our approaches to addressing it,” Robinson said. “We are thankful that there are dedicated community citizens who want to make a difference and are given the opportunity to step forward in a positive and productive way to do just that.”