The development permit application by the Mustard Seed was denied at the Municipal Planning Commission today by a 6-0 vote. This meeting was live streamed by the city via the Teams app but it was not streamed tot he Youtube page. However, you can watch the recording of it on the Owl’s Youtube page.

There were about 80 people in the seats as well as the CEO of the Mustard Seed from Calgary, James Gardiner. Most of the people who got up and spoke were angry. They expressed concern for the vulnerable population but said that the Mustard Seed has not been keeping things under control, that the shelter should not be in a residential area.

Kelly spoke with Jamie Rogers of Medicine Hat Community Housing Society (MHCHS) recently and Ms Rogers said that when a shelter is run properly, you don’t even know it is there. The residents of the Flats have been complaining for the past 2 years about open drug use, drug paraphernalia left on the ground, sex acts in public, public urination and defecation, break ins and theft.

There was a meeting a the MHPL on Jan 8 hosted by the MHCHS and the Mustard Seed. At the media scrum after the meeting Kelly asked Gardiner about if they had a Good Neighbour Plan. Gardiner replied “We haven’t been asked to provide one”. When pressed on the matter, Gardiner just repeated that they have not been asked for one. Watch the scrum here.

Developing story, more to come!