Saskatoon Tribal Council seeking extension for temporary shelter, advocates voice support

The Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) is hoping a city council committee will recommend that the city extend the term for STC's temporary homeless shelter downtown as STC negotiates with a local First Nation community for a permanent shelter.

The tribal council opened a 50-bed emergency wellness centre in a former city office space in December and expanded the facility to 75 beds in February.

STC Chief Mark Arcand said the beds have been used more than 7,200 times and that the shelter has helped more than 400 different people since it was opened on Dec. 15. Of them, the majority were Indigenous or Métis.

"I think we've proven ourselves since Dec. 15 … and you can see the results and the outcomes," he told reporters Monday morning.

"When you talk about 7,200 people sleeping in a warm place, that's significant in our city."

In a letter to the city's planning, development and community services committee, Arcand said the centre is packed to 105 per cent capacity each day and night, and turns away an average of 30 to 40 people each day because of capacity limits.

Arcand said the wellness centre has helped find stable housing for 10 families and is working with another three at the moment.

The city committee is meeting Tuesday to consider Arcand's request for an extension and will determine then whether it recommends any action to council. Arcand is open to any response, whether it's moving to another location or having a shorter term than he's hoping to receive, but is hoping the city is in favour of continuing the shelter.

"If they say no to a short-term extension, I think we've got to live with it, but it won't stop me from finding another place to move forward," Arcand said, calling the current location an ideal place with laundry, showers and 24-hour availability.

Arcand said the facility has also provided addictions, health and employment supports.

"We're seeing a lot of individuals that really want to move forward in regards to getting help, but still trying to trust those systems: social services, health authority, things like that," he said.

Ward 2 Coun. Hilary Gough, council's lead on community safety and wellbeing, said the pressures that the shelter was opened to address "haven't gone away."

"STC has stepped up to provide these services and as of right now I am supportive of extending their opportunity to provide those services in a civic building downtown," Gough said.

She said she was disappointed by the lack of investment into affordable housing or supports for those to find housing in the provincial budget released in March.

"There are plenty of things that could be done to lessen that need, and those are required and essential and need to be led by the provincial government," Gough said. 

"In the meantime, these emergency services are needed."

Gough is also critical of the province's funding model, which she said is burdensome to access. 

Gough was wary of providing a prediction for how Tuesday's discussion would go, but said the community is aware that housing needs are urgent.

Arcand said STC is also in negotiations with Yellow Quill First Nation about buying, leasing or renting a facility just east of St. Paul's Hospital, near Station 20 West, as a permanent shelter.

That shelter wouldn't be ready for 10 to 14 months, though, because it would need to undergo a complete renovation, Arcand said.

He envisions a commercial kitchen with a mess hall, several floors with some office space, sleeping quarters, and room for programs and services like social services and income assistance inside the facility.

Arcand estimates the new facility could cost $3 million to $5 million, including renovating the building and purchasing the land if that's included in their potential agreement with Yellow Quill First Nation. He said initiating programs and services could be about $6 million annually.

Brenna Sych, communication consultant for Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership, said the temporary shelter is providing a necessary service to assist people and help manage the city's housing crisis.

"All shelters are at capacity in Saskatoon," Sych said. 

"If they hadn't opened up for the cold weather in this last year, we could have had a repeat of previous years where we have lost people."

Sych said there have been no known deaths from weather exposure this winter, whereas there were three known deaths in January 2020. She expects that if the committee rejects the proposed extension, it would exacerbate the current housing need.