11.5 Social and Family Services

Principle

Ensure residents have access to a coordinated and connected network of social services that responds to the broad needs of the community.

A healthy community supports all residents, fostering a sense of community well-being. An integrated network of social services meets the basic needs of all residents and identifies unmet needs. The policies below support the provision of a full range of social services in locations that facilitate easy and equitable access.

Policies

11.5.1.

Facilitate programs and initiatives that support the physical health, mental health, and social well-being of community members.

11.5.2.

Identify local social services needs through complementary plans and strategies, which would also guide the location of social services facilities.

11.5.3.

Support initiatives that highlight and address unmet social needs in the community and foster a more socially and culturally inclusive city.

11.5.4.

Strive to prevent homelessness and ensure that experiences of homelessness are brief and non-recurring by addressing the underlying causes, including poverty, addiction, and mental illness.

11.5.5.

Work with the Government of Alberta and non-governmental organizations to facilitate the provision of a full range of social services in St. Albert.

11.5.6.

Support the facilities and programs provided by the Government of Alberta and nongovernmental organizations.

11.5.7.

Provide residents with access to information about housing, community services, education, and employment opportunities in St. Albert.

11.5.8.

Encourage social services to be located centrally and close to public transit.

11.5.9.

Encourage, in conjunction with the preparation and amending of Area Structure Plans and Area Redevelopment Plans, the provision of flexible social hubs containing multiple community services and facilities, including opportunities for recreation, housing, learning, civic engagement, cultural programming, and social services. Social hubs should have the flexibility to evolve in response to a community’s changing needs.

11.5.10.

Encourage the provision of child-care facilities throughout the city in appropriate locations, including in Mixed-use Nodes, institutions, and places of employment.