Saskatoon Tribal Council addressed a letter on Thursday that was sent to the provincial government, calling for the closure of the Emergency Wellness Centre after claims of attempted attacks and break ins at a nearby church.
Fairmont Baptist Church pastor and 21-year Fairhaven resident Robert Pearce took to Twitter on Thursday, posting a letter he wrote to the provincial government, claiming someone “attempted to jump” him and force themselves into the church on Wednesday night.
He said that since the implementation of Saskatoon’s largest homeless shelter approximately 200 metres away in 2022, violence and crime in the area have skyrocketed.
The Emergency Wellness Centre in the Fairhaven neighbourhood houses 106 homeless individuals and has been criticized by the surrounding community since its opening day in November 2022.
Pearce said in his letter that the shelter should be closed by the end of April and that a better alternative needs to be in place before next winter.
He said his church has spent over $4,000 repairing damage from vandalism and violence, the property value has dropped by $30,000 and people are afraid to walk safely in the community.
“To make these false accusations is racism,” said Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand. “(Pearce) is a pastor and First Nations people today are where they are at because of the colonial system that relied on facilities run by churches such as residential schools.”
Pearce’s letter said providing a remote park space in the summer to allow people to pitch their tents away from residential communities would meet a need that the wellness centre isn’t.
“A tent city is not acceptable,” Arcand said. “This is 2024 and suggesting anything other than a proper roof over someone’s head or looking to supply decent quality housing is not right,” Arcand said.
Pearce suggested in his letter that the facility be turned into a space for homeless families.
“We know they are not a problem in residential communities,” Pearce said. “The park is right beside there. There are two schools very close by in the community and it works.”
He said more dialogue needs to happen to combat homelessness in the city in a healthy way for everyone.
“The homeless deserve far better than what they are getting and we deserve to have our community restored to what it was,” Pearce said.
In his letter, he suggested a long-term care facility for homeless individuals where they would be required to register for assistance with Social Services and then assigned a bed space. He also recommended the facility be at least two kilometres away from any residential area.
“We need to find safe, secure, responsible locations for them that work for everybody.”
Arcand said one of the only facts Pearce is correct in stating is that the wellness centre is understaffed.
“It’s because of a lack of funding from the province,” Arcand said.
The province provides the wellness centre with $4.2 million per year for operations, which is the largest funding agreement between the province and the council, according to Arcand.
He also acknowledged that individuals with complex needs have used the facility, a point Pearce brought up in his letter.
“Since Oct. 1, we have eliminated those individuals,” Arcand said.
Arcand said since closing the doors to individuals with complex needs, occurrences and violence reports have decreased.
He is going to continue to advocate strongly for Saskatoon’s homeless population.
Since its opening, the wellness centre has housed over 60 families through private landlords, low-income housing, and Saweyihtotan supportive housing.
The Emergency Wellness Centre’s lease is expected to expire on March 31, but the Saskatoon Tribal Council said it is currently negotiating a renewal with the province.