Wood Buffalo City Steps Up for Homeless Programs

0:00The regional municipality of Wood Buffalo just approved $1,640,000 for local homeless programs. This comes after Alberta's province switched up funding last year, going direct instead of funneling cash through the city. Council unanimously backed it, with nearly $922,000 for housing and 368,000 for prevention. Earlier this week at the meeting, officials pointed out gaps since the change hit in late 2024. The province claims total funding stays steady at $5.5 million this year, for shelters, housing, and prevention services across the Bay region. Local non-profits are sounding the alarm, saying they've taken real hits, like $500,000 cut from key supports at one housing spot, that nearly shut down. The mayor called it exactly what they predicted, while a shelter director noted turning away 78 households last year without eviction help. Homeless numbers are climbing, too, from 152 tracked in 2024 to 221 now.

1:03City staff, say, losing local control makes coordinating aid tougher, pushing more folks into the system. So the municipality's stepping up to plug those holes and keep programs running, even as the province insists everything's offset elsewhere in the fight against homelessness. Stay informed with Canada News today, AI-powered updates.