The biggest gap in the City of Saskatoon’s Cold Weather Strategy is overnight warming locations. However, Saskatoon’s Director of Emergency Planning, Pamela Goulden-McLeod, says plans are in the works to open up an overnight warming location with partner agencies. According to Fire Department data, there are encampments in most Saskatoon neighbourhoods.

Last year there were 27 days and nights when it hit -30 or colder, which is when the Cold Weather Strategy is enacted.  The Ministry of Social Services and the Salvation Army have after hours emergency services, but when it hits -30 Celsius, extra efforts are made. There is an outreach task force searching at night making sure everyone has a place to stay. There are daily situational reports and communication about where the warming locations are but there is a need for more overnight locations.

Goulden-McLeod says one outreach team reported that over the 27 days last winter when the strategy was enacted, they found about 300 people in total outside between midnight and 5 and helped them find a safe location.  She adds that moving the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s Emergency Wellness Centre from downtown to Fairmont Drive doesn’t really change the access to services, because outreach teams from different organizations including the Police Service and Fire Department, search everywhere.