Saskatchewan Minister of Social Services Gene Makowsky spoke about Saskatoon’s upcoming shelter at the Saskatchewan Legislature Thursday, saying many city councillors and the Saskatoon Police Service have been asking for support like the new emergency residential shelter slated for the MayFair community.
Saskatoon residents and city councillors lobbed a barrage of questions and concerns at provincial government representatives on Wednesday regarding the new shelter.
A 15-person temporary emergency shelter is going up where a former liquor store was at 1701 Idylwyld Dr. N. after the provincial government submitted an application for it to be located there.
The application from the provincial government falls under permitted use, therefore the city administration said council couldn’t turn down the application, regardless of some pushback from residents and city councillors.
When asked if the province would be doing any public consultation with residents in the MayFair area or any consultation for future shelters, Makowsky said people got that opportunity at city council.
“That was on display at city council yesterday in terms of people being able to come forward. There was information that was distributed to the community in combination with the city and the province as well,” Makowsky said.
A notice was sent out from the city around Nov. 15 regarding the shelter, but many residents said they didn’t see it until Friday, and others say they never received notice.
Many residents said it wasn’t enough time and more public consultation was needed.
When asked if there were other areas considered for this facility and what they were, Makowsky said there was a search done, but said the former liquor store on Idylwyld Drive North was deemed the best location to flip within a reasonable amount of time.
“We know winter is coming and we’re able to have that building on hand and be able to use it.”
When asked if the province would be looking into the concerns from Saskatoon residents that once the 24-hour stay period was up for people at the shelter there was nothing stopping them from walking into the immediate surrounding community, Makowsky said that was his understanding.
“Hopefully people that are detained in that facility will choose treatment and hopefully recovery.”
He said they want to have a system in place where they can hand off people admitted to the facility to other organizations.
“We want to have a situation where that community is as safe as possible.”
It was noted in Wednesday’s city council meeting that once the 24-hour period was up for people staying at the facility, the organization running it would try to connect them with other services or take them someplace they requested, but if a person refused all those services there was nothing stopping them from walking into the immediate community.
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Chad Ryan, a provincial government spokesperson who attended the meeting on behalf of the Ministry of Social Services, said on Wednesday that security services will be provided so that clients remain in the building during their stay.
“Security services will be strictly enforcing policies to prevent individuals from remaining on the grounds for the safety and security of all when (they are) released,” Ryan said.
Coun. Darren Hill asked about the issue and Ryan said they were confident in the abilities of the medical and detox professionals who will be working at the site.
“So can you guarantee that the users of this facility are not going to walk into that neighbourhood of Mayfair or into the businesses along Idylwyld?” Hill asked.
Ryan said he was fairly confident with their process.
“I can’t control the movement of people outside of this, however, we’re referring individuals to the supports and services within the city of Saskatoon that are offered here and we’re driving them to the destination, we’re providing warm handoffs, we’re doing all the essential components that these individuals need to ensure that they have that support outside of these 24 hours,” Ryan said.
Many residents came forward to speak on the city council item, with Wesley Stefanuk saying this was an incomplete plan.
“And just so you know, 20 steps from that facility are families with children,” Stefanuk said.
Erin Neufeld called this bad form, saying not enough public consultation was had and more time was needed.
Darlene Weichel works at a restaurant in the area and said she has been attacked, beaten and robbed.
“I can avoid going out that back door again, but now you’re putting it in the front,” Weichel said.
She said with the shelter right across the street, staff are not safe.
Hill suggested that if people have concerns they should reach out to the province’s ministers Everett Hindley, Paul Merriman and Makowsky, as well as Minister Gordon Wyant, the representative for the area.
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