The City of Lloydminster is looking to hire a contractor for $150,000 to assist the Housing Working Group address housing needs over 18 months.
Read more: Housing group talks shelter standards
“The housing and homelessness working group is ready to tackle some of the more complex recommendations from the 2023 housing needs assessment and strategy. (This) requires additional resources to bring projects to a shovel-ready state,” said Patrick Lancaster, manager of social programs and services, City of Lloydminster. noting funds will come from the resiliency reserve.
Lancaster also outlined some of the work the contractor would be undertaking.
“Some of the work is to get partners, plans, land, funding and programs in place,” he said. “They would assist the housing working group in identifying building opportunities and partners to implement partners, engage in meaningful dialogue with neighbouring First Nations and other community supports to support prevention and diversion efforts.
“This would be solely funded through the City of Lloydminster unless other funding opportunities were to come later.”
The contractor’s position would come with a possibility of an extension. Coun. David Lopez asked if or when they would know the extension would be needed.
“We would need to evaluate the progress made by the project, if we’re satisfied with the results and the direction we’re on,” said Lancaster.
Lopez quickly followed up by asking who would be making the decision for an extension.
“From a budgetary standpoint alone, we would have to come back to council for approval,” said Dion Pollard, city manager. “So, whether that was included in some dollars in the 2026 budget or a similar recommendation to this to extend the contract.”
Tracy Simpson, executive manager of community development services gave further insight.
“It might depend on timing when federal and provincial grant funding is available and if there’s opportunity to extend to better take advantage of those funding opportunities,” she said. “It might also depend on how long some of the work takes. It would be a collaborative decision between administration and the housing working group to bring it back to council for decision.”
It was also asked if the $150,000 would be enough to get the work done.
“We believe $150,000 should achieve the goals under the project for the 18 months,” said Lancaster. “That would probably net us somewhere between 1,200 to 1,700 hours of work by a contractor.”
Administration gave clarity as to when shovels may be in the ground.
“I think the challenge is there’s no current funding opportunities open at the moment,” said Simpson. “We’re anticipating some funding announcements in the next 12 to 18 months from the federal government around housing.
“We’d want to take advantage of this time and build our plans so they are shovel-ready when those funding announcements come.”
Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers asked how administration arrived at the $150,000 figure.
“We looked at a breakdown of costs from similar positions that would be staffed in other communities,” said Lancaster. “We looked at contractor costs with other housing needs assessment projects we’ve worked on in the past and different ranges of hours.”
Aalbers asked how they would assess the value they’re getting for the money spent.
“The city will determine the key performance indicators, however, we will be consulting with the working group,” said Lancaster. “We’re going to be reliant on them to see the action come out of this work.”
Council approved administration to commit $150,000 from the resiliency reserve to hire a contractor for 18 months. The hiring process will now go to a request for proposal.
Read more: Transitional housing needed in Lloyd
