Prince Albert City Council has approved a proposed complex needs emergency shelter at 99 Ninth Street East, ending weeks of debate over a project that has divided residents, business owners, and city officials.
Monday’s regular meeting was chaired by Mayor Bill Powalinsky. The decision, passed on a 7-2 vote, which gives the green light to a provincially funded stabilization centre designed to provide up to 24 hours of supervised care for people detained by police for intoxication, disorderly behaviour, or drug-related distress.
Balancing safety and compassion
Mayor Bill Powalinsky said the facility is meant to relieve pressure on police cells while offering a safe environment for people in crisis.
“The important thing is to focus on safety, for the community and for the individuals. People aren’t going to be released on the street. “It’s a closed facility,” he said.
Powalinsky pointed to facilities in Saskatoon and Regina that have operated since 2024.
“What we’ve seen there is that these shelters help connect people with supports they wouldn’t otherwise get. That’s what we’re bringing here,” he added.
Coun. Blake Edwards said while he understood the fears raised by downtown business owners, the potential benefits outweigh those concerns.
“We’ve been asking for solutions to social disorder. This is a solution. It won’t fix everything, but it will make a difference,” he said.
Council voices dissent
Not everyone was convinced. Ward 1 Councillor Daniel Brown cast one of the dissenting votes, arguing the location was unsuitable and the consultation process inadequate.
“My opposition is not to the service itself, but to the process and the location. Downtown businesses and residents have not had a fair chance to weigh in,” he said.
Ward 4 Coun. Bryce Laewetz echoed those concerns. He questioned whether placing the shelter downtown would create more problems than it solved.
“I don’t dispute the need for this service, but I believe we haven’t done enough to consider the long-term impacts on the core,” he told council.
Under the terms of approval, the shelter will operate on a three-year development permit and be subject to a 90-day closure clause if significant problems arise. Before opening, the operator must submit a detailed operational plan to the city and hold a public meeting with residents and businesses.
According to documents provided to the council, the facility will not be open to the public. Only police can refer individuals, who will stay under medical and security supervision for up to 24 hours. Staff will connect them to addiction treatment, housing, and other supports upon release.
Several business owners near the site had voiced concerns about safety and property values. However, research submitted to the council from other jurisdictions suggested well-managed facilities have little long-term impact on neighbourhoods and, in some cases, improve safety by reducing street-level disorder.
Councillors Dawn Kilmer and Darren Solomon both toured complex needs shelters in Saskatoon before Monday’s vote. They said the visits gave them confidence the model could succeed in Prince Albert.
Kilmer noted the facilities there have provided a safe, supervised alternative for people in crisis.
“It showed me this is a way to stabilize people quickly and connect them to supports instead of leaving them on the street,” she said.
Solomon added that police officers he spoke with in Saskatoon described the shelters as easing pressure on cells while improving community safety.
“Seeing it firsthand, I believe this can work here too,” he said.
Next Steps
The Ministry of Health will now move ahead with selecting an operator, with an opening date expected in 2026. Powalinsky warned that any delay of rejection would have jeopardized funding.
“This is about intervention, not rehabilitation,” he said. “It’s about breaking the cycle that keeps people in cells and keeps our officers tied up.”
