Saskatoon Tribal Council relocating and expanding emergency wellness centre

Saskatoon Tribal Council is relocating and expanding its emergency wellness centre from its downtown location to the Fairhaven neighbourhood in the southwest of the city, the organization announced on Friday. 

The new facility will provide 106 emergency beds, including 31 being moved from The Lighthouse Supported Living.

The 24/7 centre was established downtown to address an increase in homelessness and life-threatening winter temperatures.  It's continued to support people struggling with homelessness and other challenges, like addictions. 

STC Chief Mark Arcand says some people living near the new location might fret about it, but he argues they're missing the point as he called for compassion for families and vulnerable people facing hard times. 

"Yeah, there's people with addictions there, but there's also people that don't have homes. Cost of food is going up. Cost of rent is going up," he said.

"We had an infant there as young as three months old. This is serious stuff in our city. People have to start recognizing that this is a community issue." 

He says the centre is staffed appropriately to handle any complications or concerns that arise. 

The centre will continue to offer three meals daily, shower and laundry facilities, as well as cultural and counselling supports in its new location.

Arcand says staff at the centre connect people with housing and employment. The centre also has a paramedic who works on site for medical emergencies, and they also work closely with police and fire services. 

"The key to this is proper staffing, proper programs and services and proper outcomes and results," Arcand said. 

The new location is also more spacious inside and out, creating the opportunity to group people appropriately. There is also a fenced green-space around the building.

Arcand says a long-term dream for the property would be to erect tipis in the summertime, creating more independent shelter spaces. 

But for now, he says, the new facility will be able to support 106 emergency shelter beds. 

STC to take on shelter beds lost at Lighthouse 

The expansion of the shelter comes during the transfer of 31 emergency shelter beds originally stationed at The Lighthouse Supported Living in Saskatoon, the Ministry of Social Services said. 

In June, the ministry announced that it would be transferring all 61 shelter beds out of the downtown facility after it was discovered its leader had used shelter funds for personal loans. The first 30 beds were transferred to the Salvation Army in September. 

"Homelessness is a complex issue and requires multiple partners to come together," Gene Makowsky, Social Services minister and minister responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, said in a news release. 

"This final stage of the transition of emergency shelter spaces will occur gradually during November as the new building becomes operational and with client needs in mind."  

Arcand says homelessness is noticeably on the rise in Saskatoon. Through the emergency wellness centre, Arcand says, they've been able to keep people safe and help them while reducing demand on other city services. 

He says the facility only called on police 40 times in August, compared with other facilities that see 100 calls per month. 

The goal is to open the new location in November as long as all permits are approved, Arcand says, adding they will host an open house so people can check out the space and ask questions.  

The new building is owned by the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and will be leased by the STC until March 2023. 

Arcand says they hope to arrange a longer-term lease agreement in the new year. 

The STC emergency wellness centre is currently housed in a building owned by the City of Saskatoon. 

City council changed zoning rules for the downtown to make an exception for the wellness centre after a request from the STC.

Arcand said they are hoping to secure different funding to keep the downtown location open this winter as part of a cold weather strategy meant to help vulnerable people survive extreme temperatures.