Update from August 20, 2021

At this time, Alpha House will not be moving forward with our re-zoning application to request a bylaw change at our facility at 802 2A Ave SE.

A few weeks ago, we shared that we were amending our application to put on hold:

  1. A bylaw request to support integration of the current mobile Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) into the Shelter facility
  2. A bylaw request to support shelter space that would be lost due to the OPS moving indoors.

It was our intention to move forward with:

  • requesting a bylaw change to support adding medical services to our current stabilization program.

However, we have withdrawn our application in its entirety as of today due to circumstances out of our control. As a result, there will be no public hearing on this issue on 24 August 2021.

We are extremely disappointed to not be able to move forward with re-zoning to support a medical detox program for the City of Lethbridge. Due to a loss of funding for this project, we are unable to proceed.

It is our hope to continue engaging in the dialogue around social service provision in the city as we believe collaboration will be key to creating safe, inclusive communities for everyone.

We appreciate the community support we have received thus far and will continue to support the city’s most vulnerable through our Emergency Shelter and other programs.

 

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Update from August 9, 2021

Alpha House originally submitted a re-zoning application that included three elements.

  1. A bylaw change to support integrating the current mobile Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) into the Shelter facility to provide increased community safety and continuity of services
  2. A bylaw change to support the shelter space that would be lost if the OPS was moved into the Shelter
  3. A bylaw change to support adding medical services to our current stabilization program

We have worked with community members, neighbours, and other stakeholders over the past few months to explain our reasoning for re-zoning and to address questions.

Based on community feedback, as well as the creation of the Social Services Integration Group (SSIG), we have requested an amendment to our re-zoning application to ensure appropriate discussion can continue around the Lethbridge community’s needs. We are happy to be flexible with our re-zoning ask to ensure we are finding the best solutions for vulnerable Albertans and the best locations for social services.

The amendment we have requested for our application focuses solely on a bylaw change to support adding medical services to our current stabilization centre. A medically supported detox will provide an additional recovery option to individuals struggling with addiction. 

Alpha House has already been awarded funding to offer medical supports through our current stabilization program and we would not want Lethbridge to miss out on this significant provincial investment. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@alphahouselethbridge.com

If you would like to learn more about our current programs – you can read more about our services here