A homeless shelter in Red Deer will add 75 beds for the winter. Red Deer city council on Tuesday approved a plan allowing Hope Mission, which operates the downtown Cannery Row shelter, to add 75 beds, increasing capacity to 275. The temporary development permit takes effect Nov. 1 and runs until March 31. Red Deer’s mayor called emergency shelters “a complex issue.” “Council’s questions today reflected the importance of continually improving how we support some of our most vulnerable citizens while also addressing safety, security and the concerns of neighbouring residents and businesses,” Mayor Cindy Jefferies said in a media release. As part of the approval, Hope Mission will add three staff members per shift and provide dedicated security to patrol the courtyard and parking lot around the clock, as well as monitor the inside and outside of the building. City administration also updated council on plans for a permanent shelter, known as Project Nexus. Officials said they expect a building permit application within the next few weeks for a site at 7740 40 Ave.
