The federal government is looking to support provinces to find housing and shelter for those experiencing homelessness and address encampment issues across the country.
The funding on offer is $250 million the government announced to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness in Budget 2024.
While some provinces have signed on to receive additional funding, others have yet to respond including Saskatchewan according to the federal government.
Organizations like Carmichael Outreach in Regina say the need for more funding is dire to support the homeless as organizations resources get stretched even further.
“I can’t say it has to be one level of government. That’s not the answer,” Chrysta Garner, the Carmichael Outreach development coordinator said. “Everyone needs to pitch together, and something needs to be done.”
Garner spoke on the issue in front of a homeless encampment that has been set up outside Carmichael.
“In the last week, the encampment that’s right beside us has at least doubled if not tripled in size because there’s nowhere that’s available right now,” Garner said.
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With cold weather set to sweep across the country in the coming weeks, the federal government has shared they will be reaching out to municipalities directly.
Both Regina and Saskatoon are listed as candidates for support.
“We have such an urgent need in our community, and we need the support from both orders of government to make sure that we have the right facilities in place,” Saskatoon mayor Charlie Clark said.
Clark hopes the province will get on board soon.
“This is an issue that can’t afford to be held up by politics,” Clark said.
In a statement Tuesday, federal minister of housing infrastructure and communities Sean Fraser addressed the topic.
“I am disappointed that these provincial governments are not willing to partner with us, as it means we cannot support as many communities as we would have been able to had they come to the table with funding and solutions,” the statement reads.
“We will no longer wait for them to muster the political will to act as winter gets closer and lives are put at risk.”
In a statement from the Saskatchewan Party, they said “due to the proximity to the provincial election, the Minister of Social Services indicated that it would not be appropriate to meet at this time.”
“Should we be re-elected, we would certainly be willing to have that discussion with the federal government.”
In a statement from the City of Regina, they say the city has not received official communication from federal representatives regarding Federal Minister Sean Fraser’s statement on negotiating support to address homelessness and encampments in collaboration with cities.
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