Provincial funding has been announced for Red Deer’s Safe Harbour Society to enhance safety and security.

The provincial government has allocated $1.2 million towards 17 shelters in Alberta. The Safe Harbour Society will receive $36,151.

Kath Hoffman, executive director of the Safe Harbour Society said the funding will be used to add security cameras at the warming shelter and to replace the cameras at Peoples Place.

“It’s always great to be able to have some funding to enhance the safety of the people using our programs,” she said. “It’s not just for the security and safety of our programs but in the communities that we are in.”

In a release, the province said more than 5,000 Albertans do not have a permanent place to call home and of those nearly half turn to emergency shelters for a safe place to spend the night.

“The province is working with its community partners to support these Albertans and ensure they have safe places to stay. As part of this commitment, 17 homeless shelters have received a total of $1.2 million to complete capital maintenance and upgrades.”

The release added priority was given to projects that addressed priority maintenance and upgrades related to fire, health and safety risks, projects that provided supporting documentation, such as a fire safety inspection and presented a detailed budget.