Two homeless encampments have been identified on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain House, one with about 40 residents and another with more than 50.

Members of the Clearwater Regional Housing Foundation shared the figures during a presentation to Clearwater County council on July 28.

The two encampments are in separate locations near the north end of town. The foundation said the camps are relatively new and may have splintered from a larger encampment that was dismantled.

The figures came as somewhat of a surprise to some members of council. “I thought I knew this county,” quipped Division 6 Coun. Bryan Cermak.

“They exist,” said Kandis Stradecki, chair of the Clearwater Regional Housing Foundation, adding the number of people living in the encampments underscores the need for a permanent shelter for vulnerable residents.

“Every time someone walks through the emergency room door, the tab starts at $1,700. That adds up really quickly for the common taxpayer,” Stradecki said.

Since the beginning of 2026, the foundation has been working to secure a permanent shelter location after previously operating programming out of the Lord’s Food Bank in Rocky Mountain House.

Earlier this year, the foundation attempted to acquire a building behind the Petro-Canada station for a shelter. While the Subdivision Development and Appeals Board approved the temporary shelter, it denied an application to also operate a rooming house from the building, prompting the foundation to abandon the purchase.

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Morgan Spratt of the foundation said the vast majority of encampment residents are from the Rocky Mountain House area, want to remain in the community and have little interest in relocating to cities despite greater supports available there.

She said many residents spend their days making their rounds accessing services around town, including the hospital, before returning to the encampments because they have nowhere else to stay.

County councillors raise questions

After hearing the figures, several councillors questioned whether the proposed shelter model is sufficient to meet the community’s needs.

Coun. Breanne Powell said the project began as a warming shelter but may now need to expand to provide additional services given the growing number of people experiencing homelessness.

Coun. Hazen Letwin said he was concerned the scope of the project has expanded significantly, noting it originally began as a shelter that operated only during cold weather.

While acknowledging the need to support vulnerable residents, Deputy Reeve Drew McKay said addressing encampments involving people without underlying mental or physical health conditions falls outside the role of county council.

Stradecki clarified that while the MATT shelter program has a small budget to provide light meals, including soup, it is not intended to operate as a soup kitchen.

“We can’t ask people to get well if they have no nutrition,” she said.

Learning process

The 2025-26 warming shelter season ended at the beginning of April. The foundation said that closure proved premature after clients reported having nowhere to go during a particularly cold and wet April.

Going forward, the organization is seeking support to extend the shelter season or operate the program year-round.

The foundation also continues to seek a stand-alone location for the upcoming season.

After the previous building proposal fell through, Stradecki said the organization is now working with the town of Rocky Mountain House to identify a more suitable location.

The foundation said it will continue fine-tuning the program based on lessons learned over the past two seasons.

Clearwater County accepted the foundation’s presentation as information.