Project Nexus reached another important milestone on July 15, 2026, as community leaders and government representatives gathered to recognize the progress being made toward a more coordinated response to homelessness in Red Deer.
Joining us from the Province of Alberta was Premier Danielle Smith, Minister of Hospital and Surgical Services and Red Deer North MLA, Adriana LaGrange, MLAs Jason Stephan (Red Deer South) and Jennifer Johnson (Lacombe), while from the City of Red Deer we were pleased to host Red Deer Mayor Cindy Jefferies as well as Councillors Buruma, Curtis, Krahn and Tweedle, plus various stakeholders in Project Nexus.
In her address to the group, Premier Danielle Smith recognized Red Deer’s community-led approach to addressing homelessness and adjacent issues in our city:
“Everyone here recognizes that mental health, addiction and homelessness are challenges that affect whole communities, and it does take all of us to address them. The best answers emerge clearly when communities identify the need, build partnerships and lead the response. The people of Red Deer are doing that.”
Project Nexus has always been about more than constructing a new facility. The vision is to create a coordinated campus where emergency shelter, health care, housing navigation, recovery supports and other essential services can work together to help individuals move from crisis toward stability. As we have shared throughout this process, meaningful progress requires organizations, governments and community partners working in partnership rather than in isolation.
The project has been shaped by local leadership, extensive community engagement and partnerships between service providers, governments, health professionals and volunteers who share a common goal of improving outcomes for individuals experiencing homelessness.
Minister Adriana LaGrange also spoke about the significance of reaching this point, noting that a project like Project Nexus has been needed since she first became an MLA. She emphasized that success depended on more than government support alone.
“…it really needed the community buy-in, the community support and the community leadership” to get off the ground.
Those words acknowledge the many organizations, volunteers, businesses, donors and residents who have contributed their time, expertise and commitment throughout the planning process. As we’ve said before, Project Nexus has always been for the community, by the community, and that spirit continues to guide every stage of the project.
Mayor Cindy Jefferies highlighted one of Red Deer’s defining characteristics: its willingness to work together to address complex challenges.
“This project is a typical Red Deer example of how when this community decides it’s going to do something…we jump all-in, together. Without collaboration, coordination and willingness to have those difficult conversations…we wouldn’t see this kind of thing happen in our community.”
Her comments speak to the broad coalition that has helped move Project Nexus forward. Community organizations, Indigenous partners, service providers, healthcare professionals, volunteers, businesses and all levels of government have contributed to developing a more coordinated approach to homelessness that reflects the needs of Red Deer.
MLA Jason Stephan focused on another key principle of Project Nexus: improving outcomes requires thinking differently about both the location of shelter services and the way those services are delivered.
“Project Nexus is exciting for Red Deer. It proposes to change both the location of, and the delivery of, homeless shelter services, as ‘how’ shelter services are delivered is just as important as ‘where’ such services are delivered. That is the better way for our beautiful City.”
Project Nexus is built on the belief that emergency shelter is one part of a broader system of care. By bringing services together and strengthening coordination between organizations, the project aims to reduce barriers, improve access to supports and create clearer pathways toward housing stability, recovery and long-term success.
As the project continues to move forward, we remain grateful for the support of our community and the many partners who have contributed to this vision. Every milestone reflects countless hours of planning, listening and collaboration, and each one brings us closer to creating a more coordinated, compassionate and effective response to homelessness in Red Deer.
The work is not finished, but the momentum continues to grow. Together, we are building something that has the potential to strengthen not only the services available to those experiencing homelessness, but our community as a whole.