Prince Albert city council has advanced plans for a new 45-bed emergency shelter at 650 Exhibition Drive, voting Monday to move the project’s contract zoning agreement to a public hearing next month.
The decision came after nearly two hours of debate that included questions about funding, safety, and how the shelter will be managed. The agreement will return for second and third readings at the Oct 6 council meeting, where residents will have a chance to speak before a final decision is made.
Director of Community Development Services Craig Guidinger said the contract zoning agreement is designed to hold all parties accountable and give council tools to respond if problems arise.
“It gives us a mechanism to ensure accountability, a mechanism to ensure a consistent and sustainable reporting structure, and a mechanism to find solutions,” Guidinger said.
The agreement caps the number of beds at 45 and requires any future increase to come back to council. It also embeds a new Collaborative Shelter Support Team (CSST), made up of representatives from the shelter provider, police, fire, ambulance, bylaw, and the Ministry of Social Services. The team meets monthly to monitor incidents and make recommendations.
Community Safety and Well-Being Manager Anna Dinsdale said the agreement also calls for a Neighbourhood Engagement Table that will meet quarterly with nearby residents, business owners, and outreach providers.
Coun. Daniel Brown moved to amend the motion to confirm that if the environmental study for the site reveals contamination that cannot be resolved, the city will look at other land options. Administration confirmed that protection is already in place under the conditional sale agreement but agreed to include the language in the bylaw.
Coun. Bryce Laewetz pressed administration and provincial officials on whether nuisance behaviour could be linked to the shelter, saying past problems near other facilities often went unresolved. Dinsdale said baseline data is already being collected so trends can be tracked before and after the shelter opens.
Security and transportation concerns were raised by Coun. Tony Head, who said many Ward 3 residents worry about people being left outside late at night. Provincial officials Roger Parenteau and Kim Hornung said fencing, lighting, and cameras will be included in the shelter design and that efforts will be made to connect clients to other services rather than leave them on the street.
Coun. Dawn Kilmer added a requirement for a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) report to be completed before construction permits are issued.
Police Chief Patrick Nogier told the council no CPTED report has been completed for the site yet but said it would be an important step before construction begins.
“One of the discussion points here that really makes sense is there seems to be a lot of emphasis on community safety and well-being,” Nogier said. “It’s really essential that we start collecting data almost immediately so we know the true impact on the area, rather than just responding to perceptions after the fact.”
Mayor Bill Powalinski called the agreement a significant step forward and said it gives the city a solid framework for oversight.
“We have a draft contract, we have terms of reference, and we have contingency clauses within all of that,” he said after the meeting. “It’s very positive.”
Powalinski acknowledged that the shelter’s limited capacity means more work is needed to support the city’s unhoused population.
“It’s going to really require the community to rally and look at other programs and services,” he said. “It’s going to take a concerted effort.”
Residents can share their views at the Oct. 6 regular council meeting, when the council will hold a public hearing before giving the bylaw final approval.
