Prince Albert City Council will discuss the proposed permanent shelter at 650 Exhibition Drive during its regular meeting on Monday, Oct 27, the first time the project returns to the chambers since the Oct. 6 public hearing, where council approved the land sale and contract-zoning bylaw.
The site is owned by the City of Prince Albert and is intended for a 45-bed enhanced emergency shelter operated through the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation. Administration is recommending approval of the development permit so detailed design, servicing, and environmental reviews can proceed.
Craig Guidinger, the city’s director of community development, said council has already approved the land sale and contract-zoning bylaw.
“This decision finalizes the development side, allowing SHA and the city to move toward building permits and the environmental review. Oversight and community input remain built into the process,” he said.
Guidinger added that the shelter will be reviewed under Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles and monitored by a neighbourhood input group once it is operating.
The council’s agenda package includes written submissions from residents and businesses that were received after the earlier public hearing. Some residents say the project moved too quickly and should be part of a broader homelessness plan, while others support the development but stress the need for attention to waste management and safety in the area.
Ward 1 Coun. Daniel Brown, who has consistently opposed the chosen site, said many people are against the plan.
“It’s about fairness. People are worried about property values and safety. I just don’t think this is the right spot, and I don’t view it as the urgent need some describe,” Brown said.
Ward 3 Coun. Tony Head, whose ward includes the Exhibition Drive area, said the decision is mostly procedural at this stage.
“This is largely a formality now, but we still need to treat people with dignity and respect,” Head said. “I’m not fully confident the shelter can integrate safely, yet we have to remember why it’s being built: to help people who need support.”
If the permit is approved, the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation will begin final design work and enter into a servicing agreement with the city. The property will remain city-owned under a contract-zoning arrangement that allows the council to withdraw the use if operating conditions are not met.
The meeting begins at 5 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers at City Hall.
