Task force chair concerned that homeless get needed supports
By Toyin Obatusin - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on November 16, 2024.
Herald photo by Toyin Obatusin
Hunter Heggie stands outside of his downtown business, King of Trade, explaining his main concerns that the homeless population receives the support that they need, as well as providing safety for his customers and staff.The Downtown Lawlessness Reduction Task Force was approved by city council in November of 2023, and established a month later.
A sub-committee to the Safety and Social Standing Policy Committee, the task force was set up to aid in keeping the City of Lethbridge true to the vision of improving residents’ quality of life, meeting the community’s changing needs and fostering a prosperous local economy.
Hunter Heggie, chair of the task force, is owner of King of Trade along 5 Street downtown in an area where homelessness, drug abuse and graffiti greatly affect businesses.
Heggie, who is on the Lethbridge Police Commission and the board of the Downtown Business Revitalization Zone, grew up just outside Lethbridge and says “I think that I’ve got a pretty good pulse on what’s happening. I’ve been fairly involved in the community for my whole life, not just in business, but with being involved for public initiatives like the Downtown Lawlessness Reduction Task Force, I’m on the police commission for the City, as well, which gives me another point of view of this situation, I’m on the BRZ board.”
Hunter reiterates the fact that having a diverse group of people as board members with different backgrounds has given the task force success as there are multiple points of views, and occupational/educational backgrounds.
Safety concerns are not just surrounding the downtown, although businesses there have been greatly impacted financially and emotionally by the circumstances that surround the area.
Hunter’s main concerns are that homeless people loitering in front of storefront receive the support that they need, as well as the safety of his customers and staff members coming in and out of the business.
The task force’s focus is to “identify the symptoms and depth of lawless behaviours and their impacts in our city, identify stakeholders to strategize on responses and resourcing requirements, work collaboratively with stakeholders to identity solutions, provide recommended solutions to the membership organization for action, develop a joint communication plan for this task force and its member stakeholders, consider how any recommendations from the task force can support and/or integrate with existing encampment, shelter and housing strategies developed and being implemented by the City of Lethbridge.”
The needs of the community have been thoroughly evaluated by the many stakeholders within the task force and they were able to come up with a plan, as well as simple solutions that can be handled by non-police members.
Changes are coming to the task force which is being transitioned to an administrative committee with current members having the option to join it.
After a meeting of the Governance Standing Policy committee recently, several recommendations were developed and will be sent to council for consideration.
They include:
• Approve the task force Summary and Recommendations document as a guide in principle and resource to inform future updates of a Downtown Clean and Safe Strategy (DCSS).
• Refer this matter to Administration to develop an administrative committee and consider updates to its terms of reference.
• Disband the task force after the administrative committee is struck. Current members will have the option to join the updated committee.
• Refer the funding request for a two-year term Community Safety Coordinator position, to expedite any future work on the DCSS, to the Nov. 13 operating budget review deliberations.
On Wednesday, the Economic and Finance SPC, as part of an omnibus motion, voted to recommend council approve a budget initiative for the community safety coordinator for $122,500 in 2025 and $123,000 in 2026 with funding from City operating reserves as a one-time allocation.
A report to the SPC on Wednesday said that a dedicated safety role reinforces the City’s commitment to safety which could enhance public trust and support.
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The Shelter is the highest crime area in the city and the Petro Canada the second highest and many of the downtown business community suffer from these high criminal areas, yet police are not moving these people along, as per existing laws and allow them to run free all night committing crimes. This is one of the biggest complaints.
The other, so some have told us who are business owners is, ‘ sshhhhh ‘ don’t tell anyone we have high crime rates, because then they won’t come here! Absurd, ill-informed and out of touch! Fire whoever is pushing this idea to not allow media to report the truth!
People have experienced or witnessed the issues downtown personally and spread the word over the last several years. That is why they are not coming downtown, not because the news is reporting it! Fire those people now who are telling the downtown business community to keep quiet about the crime!
If you want change, you must stand up for your business and make your concerns known. When leadership doesn’t listen to you, it is your taxdollars paying their salaries, fire them if they don’t listen and put in place people who do listen and act! Town halls are only a PR scam where they pretend to listen but fail to act!
What happens on our streets is what we allow to happen and we do have a choice and have proven that over several years with hundreds of people protesting for change! Without them, we would now look like Vancouver, Calgary or Edmonton. We do not have to allow this to continue on our streets and it is time the business community united as one and stood up to the city leadership and state we have had enough! No more excuses!
Couldn’t say it better myself!…..wait a minute….I did, hundreds of times since 2018 and not one business came out of the closet. Fear of Bylaw officer was one excuse, fear of “City Hall” another, Fear of their Church another and finally, Fear that they would lose business because their church would institute a boycott.
As the Country starts to combat it’s excessive immigration. We now must also confront the Homelessness problem. Ultimately the political climate has been to reject modernistic thinking of P.C. culture and go against it. We might need to be harsh on the subject and make drug use fully illegal again and mandate a higher tax to accomodate the cost of housing the homeless whom get jailed. Forcing them to rehabilitate in a controlled environment that they can’t escape from. This takes them out of the community as well. Eliminating the problem of their presence. We’ve talked about this before but ultimately those who object can’t think of anything better. Letting them continue on without doing much about it isn’t solving anything.
People may also object the idea of higher tax but that’s how you pay for stuff that. Budgets for these things don’t come from nothing. I think the public can afford or adapt to living with less to accomodate the enforced rehabilitation of the homeless whom are a growing problem in North America. Look at how bad California is with homelessness. Vancouver… etc.
Another thing.. is the idea of implimenting the same surveillance state that China is using. With AI face recognition software to combat thefts. While making face coverings (outside of pandemic seasons) illegal everywhere. This might also include headwear inside stores. To help with prevent face recognition software malfunction (this also means the government will have cameras in stores, restaurants, etc. Even back of house areas so even the employees will be watched). As well as any makeup that would obscure the face too.
Interesting thoughts, but there would be no need for cameras if police charged the offenders and the courts convicted them. They run free right now and as a good friend recently pointed out, the issues will be increased dramatically once the shelter expansion is completed and the new policing recruits will only be able to keep status quo. Charges must be laid, following by convictions with treatment for addiction and mental health.
But the most important variable, is do not vote NDP, who still believe harm reduction and safe drug supply is the answer. BC has proven they are both failures! Yet NDP still rants they are the way!
Forgot, that covering facial features during crimes would continue with laws, AI and cameras, because laws are not enforced so they are ignored.