Prince Albert City Council will hold a public hearing Monday evening on the proposed permanent shelter at 650 Exhibition Drive, giving residents and organizations the chance to speak before councillors consider final approval.
The plan would rezone a one-acre parcel at the southeast corner of the City Yards into a special contract zone for a 45-bed enhanced emergency shelter. The land was conditionally sold to Saskatchewan Housing Corporation for $1, with approval tied to multiple safeguards. Those include a cap of 45 beds, requirements for three daily meals and individualized supports, and oversight through a Collaborative Shelter Support Team (CSST), a monthly meeting of police, fire, ambulance, bylaw, social services, and the shelter operator. A separate Shelter Neighbour Engagement Table (SNET) would meet quarterly with nearby residents and businesses.
A Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) study must also be completed before construction permits are issued.
Ward 1 Coun. Daniel Brown said he will vote against the Exhibition Drive site, citing contamination risks and community impacts.
“The rumor that we’re hearing is that there’s lots of contamination in that area,” Brown said. “That’s why I pushed for an amendment; in case that site fails, we should be looking outside the city limits and not right in the middle of a residential area.”
Brown also questioned whether oversight bodies like the CSST or engagement table will truly protect residents.
Ward 5 Coun. Stephen Ring said council has done its due diligence and it is time to make a decision.
“We’ve done a lot of discussion on it, and I think we’re at the point where we have to make a decision on the location,” Ring said. “Safety has to be at the forefront, but if the shelter doesn’t meet our expectations, we’ve got safeguards in place to address that.”
Ring also emphasized that the safeguards built into the agreement give council the ability to respond if problems arise. He said the process has been thorough, and with conditions in place, the shelter represents a critical step toward addressing homelessness in the city.
Community voices
Council will also hear from residents and organizations.
Opposition: Several letters raise concerns about installing the shelter near Cornerstone Shopping Centre. Property manager Trevor Leibel wrote on behalf of Cornerstone, warning that shelter activity could spill into the retail hub and undermine public safety for families and businesses. Other residents submitted letters citing worries about safety, contamination, and neighbourhood disruption.
Support: The YWCA’s Donna Brooks wrote in support, stressing that Prince Albert lacks enough shelter beds for its homeless population. She cited the 2024 Point-in-Time count showing 230 people homeless, with only 111 shelter beds available citywide.
“The establishment of a permanent shelter in Prince Albert is long overdue,” Brooks wrote.
What’s next?
The public hearing is set for Oct. 6, 5 p.m. Monday at City Hall. Council is expected to consider both second and third readings of the shelter zoning bylaw, along with the development permit, following community submissions.
