Amid concern about a temporary shelter’s central location, Tribal Chief Mark Arcand said the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) is using the only space available to it.
The facility situated at 145 1st Ave. N. has been at or above its 50-person capacity for each of the two nights it’s operated, according to Arcand.
“I think we’ve gained some traction, but if there’s another organization that wants to give us a better location, we’re in,” he said. “Pick up the phone and call me.”
The tribal council looked at four different locations in Saskatoon, and no one would let STC set up a temporary shelter until the City of Saskatoon offered to lease the space on 1st Avenue North until April 2022, according to Arcand.
Warehouses and churches wouldn’t accommodate the shelter during what Arcand called an “emergency” situation. He said it wasn’t a matter of choosing downtown over other spaces, but a case of the only option on the table.
“I don’t want it (in) downtown Saskatoon because I don’t want people accessing negativity,” Arcand said.
“I want to provide services. It’s a wellness place.”
The building has passed health and fire inspections, according to the tribal chief, and services are ramping up.
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Arcand said securing funding isn’t a priority right now – the shelter has enough money to operate for four to six weeks. He said the social services ministry has offered to provide shelter users per diems, but Arcand wants operations to become “stabilized” first.
He noted one person suffered a drug overdose Thursday, was revived using naloxone, treated in hospital and returned to the shelter.
“We saved somebody’s life yesterday inside of our shelter that could have potentially been outside overdosing in the cold,” Arcand said
It’s the type of concern raised by some business owners in the area.
Brent Penner, executive director of the business improvement district representing downtown, told Global News he’s happy STC is involved in addressing homelessness, but services need to be done in a thoughtful way.
“The failure in our eyes is that none of this is part of a larger plan – and instead it was being dealt with when it was already cold outside,” Penner said in an email.
Penner, who ran for the Saskatchewan Party in a 2017 byelection, sent a letter to Premier Scott Moe on Wednesday, highlighting “concerns from various people throughout the community.”
“Downtown Saskatoon has been under immense pressure from The Dubé Lighthouse for years,” he said.
“There have been many meetings where these struggles are acknowledged, yet nothing changes.”
Penner has called on all levels of government to find a place to provide services addressing homelessness outside of downtown or the Riversdale neighbourhood. He has also stated a “lack of action” on shelters and the delivery of social services have hurt people who need help, but also those who live, work and visit downtown.
“Premier Moe, it is time to do things differently. It is time to act,” Penner wrote.
“It is time to recognize that far too many negative unintended consequences are flowing from how things are being done today.”
Global News sought an interview the premier, but instead received a statement from Louise Michaud, assistant deputy minister of disability programs and housing with the Ministry of Social Services.
“The Government of Saskatchewan continues to collaborate with our community partners, and looks forward to working together with communities to address these issues in our province,” she said.
The statement did not address Penner’s specific concerns about approaches to homelessness being centralized in downtown Saskatoon.
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