Mark Arcand has been elected to a second term on the Saskatoon Tribal Council. Chief Arcand is a member of the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation in Treaty Six Territory and lives in Saskatoon. Chief Arcand was also instrumental in having the Saskatoon Tribal Council work as the backbone agency for a pilot project directed at downtown safety and well-being

The City of Saskatoon, using MEEP (Municipal Economic Enhancement Program) money from the province, and the provincial government, are both anteing up $100,000 a piece to fund a pilot project to address escalating issues in downtown Saskatoon.

The Saweyihotan Pilot Project was approved in mid September. There had been a significant effort underway for the pilot project, led by the Saskatoon Tribal Council and Chief Mark Arcand with many of the lessons learned coming from the experience of closing the City Centre Inn and Suites which included a coordinated approach, viewed as a success, to house those most vulnerable.

Phase 1 is Comprehensive Community Based Case Management Strategy, Phase 2 is a Long Term Transitional Support Housing Model.