Brody Langager
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
A point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in Saskatoon this fall identified a staggering 1,499 people living without permanent shelter in the city — almost three times the number found two years ago.
The last count, in 2022, identified 550 people.
“While some of this increase reflects the recognition of new categories, numerous other factors have contributed to this significant rise,” the city said in a news release, noting that a full breakdown will be made public in the new year.
“We do have a lot of people that come to Saskatoon for various reasons … and then they may end up here without supports,” said Lesley Anderson, the city’s director of planning and development.
The city has created a Community Encampment Response Plan to use federal funding from an unsheltered homelessness and encampments initiative.
The plan includes a capital project valued at $4,483,122 — to be covered by the Government of Canada — for supportive housing units with a community space, and a study for a potential future community navigation centre.
The federal money will be allocated over two years, and needs to be spent by March 31, 2026.
The city also plans to spend $275,000 from the initiative fund, alongside an agreement with the provincial government to support the planned enhanced emergency shelter in the city’s downtown.
Anderson said the plan for the federal money was developed quickly due to its tight timeline.
The city outlined a phased approach, noting the public washrooms pilot project and the temporary winter navigation and warming centres project are considered the first and second phases.
Future plans include expanding the city’s mobile outreach service in 2025, investing in a permanent enhanced emergency shelter, a new supportive housing development and the community navigation centre feasibility study.
The supportive housing project is expected to include 30 new supportive housing units; roughly $3.8 million of the federal funding will be used for this project.
The city administration noted that more money will still be needed for the supportive housing project, and that a successful application through the federal government’s Rapid Housing program is required to proceed with it. More discussions with the federal government would be needed if that money can’t be obtained.
A contribution agreement with the feds is required for the unsheltered homelessness and encampments initiative money, with several conditions attached, including consultation with affected Indigenous communities and engagement with a third-party auditor.
Coun. Robert Pearce asked whether the washroom pilot project could be expanded with this plan; city staff said more information will be available next year.
He also asked for details about the expansion of mobile outreach and was told the city will work with community partners to see where it can happen.
Council heard the provincial government will still be approached for help with some of these projects.
Coun. Bev Dubois asked what will happen if a new federal government takes over before the March 2026 deadline. Anderson said there’s usually a clause attached to initiatives like this, but she isn’t certain.
“We definitely have to tie off all the risk,” city manager Jeff Jorgenson said, noting the city will work to ensure any risks are minimized if money is allocated to community partners. He said the administration is pushing to have no future operating costs for the projects fall on the city.
Coun. Jasmin Parker asked how the homeless count reflects the current affordable housing stock.
“We have seen such a rise,” Anderson said, noting that the amount of affordable housing available hasn’t risen much in past years, and that gap in the market needs to be addressed.
Pearce said the city should consider moving the Emergency Wellness Centre out of the Fairhaven neighbourhood if this much money is being poured into the city to address homelessness.
“Something needs to happen, it’s long overdue,” he said.
Anderson said using the federal money to move the wellness centre has not been considered.
