Alec Salloum
Leader-Post
Five hotel rooms in Regina and five in Saskatoon have been secured for a year by the Ministry of Social Services (MSS) for clients experiencing emergencies.
This pilot program will run for one year — Aug. 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025 — and is estimated to cost $1.25 million.
“The ministry wants to find a balance between helping vulnerable people but also using as little taxpayer dollars as possible,” Minister of Social Services Gene Makowsky said Thursday.
A $200 damage deposit will also be included in the room fee, which is a departure from past practices. In late 2023, the MSS signalled it “does not typically pay damage deposits” when securing emergency shelter.
“We’re taking a look at it through this process,” said Makowsky, who added that finding “a lower price overall” for clients while offering “some certainty” is how he sees the pilot functioning.
The long-term deal secures lower room rates by preventing fluctuations and, as part of the deal, a damage deposit will be included with the price tag for every single night’s stay. The minister said this will give a benchmark idea as to how often the deposit is kept by a hotel as the MSS crafts policy.
Makowsky said in Regina the average rate worked out to about $112 per night, while in Saskatoon it is $119. He added that $1.25 million is “the absolute maximum that would be used and that assumes that there would be damage deposits paid for each hotel room, for each night.” Makowsky said the program was not motivated by recent complaints from MSS clients about conditions at the Coachman Motor Inn in Regina, including what appeared to be bed bugs, bloodstained sheets, used needles and more.
“This has been underway for the last little while,” he said.
In fact, Makowsky said to his knowledge clients can and still are being referred to the Coachman Inn. But people in an emergency situation will first be referred to the Travelodge in Regina, and The Country Inn and Suites in Saskatoon.
“I’m told there has been treatments done at that hotel,” he said. “The ministry assumes that if a place is open for business it’s complying with all health and safety regulations.”
Meanwhile, the NDP Opposition has questions about the deal in its current form.
“After 17 years in power, the Sask. Party is out of touch, out of ideas and just throwing money at problems instead of addressing the root causes,” said Meara Conway, opposition ethics critic, in an emailed statement.
“Spending $1.25 million on a few motel rooms raises serious questions, not only given the Sask. Party’s shady history with motels, but now given the lack of transparency around this contract.”
