Safe consumption site, Saskatoon Food Bank close doors after employees test positive for COVID-19

Two prominent Saskatoon support agencies were closed Monday after staff tested positive for COVID-19.

The Saskatoon Food Bank will stay closed until at least Wednesday. Prairie Harm Reduction, a safe consumption site, is closing for two weeks.

The Food Bank had three positive cases of COVID-19 identified in the workplace, two this past weekend. One was a staff member who was off last week, said executive director Laurie O'Connor.

The building will be sanitized when closed and O'Connor said the canned and packaged goods should be all right.

Prairie Harm Reduction runs out of a building on 20th Street W. and attracts dozens of people every day.

"We've already reviewed and compiled a list to work with Public Health to contact trace for those folks," said executive director Jason Mercredi.

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Mercredi said the worker is one of 42 on staff. He estimated that the person had contact with about 100 people.

He said the decision to close the doors was tough but necessary.

"Our organization is the only warm-up spot in Pleasant Hill. A lot of people come through our doors," he said.

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