As the weather turns colder, the Saskatoon Fire Department has implemented an emergency operations centre to offer emergency shelter to anyone living outside.
Assistant Fire Chief Yvonne Raymer estimates there are over a hundred people without proper shelter in Saskatoon, sleeping in the open or in makeshift shelters.
The City is partnering with other agencies to identify the places or ‘camps’ where people are living in makeshift shelters. Other goals include delegating a task force for the camps, talking to people who are homeless to build trust and offer supports.
Tribal Chief Mark Arcand with the Saskatoon Tribal Council says they are in touch with realtors in the city and are looking at warehouses, or maybe an available gymnasium, which could be used to house Saskatoon’s homeless as the colder weather descends.
Arcand describes the situation as a crisis and says they are tentatively aiming for December 1st to have housing set up where they could immediately provide 50 beds. He points out that changes must be made to allow people to live in facilities not zoned for occupancy and he hopes the necessary paperwork will be ready by the November 22nd City Council meeting.
One of the concerns the Saskatoon Fire Department has is when homeless people try and find an alternative heating source. Fire Chief Morgan Hackle says, “We have had fires occur already with these tent structures. One was on private property near a garage and it extended onto the garage and destroyed the garage. We’ve had a few others as well. That’s a fire safety issue but it is a life safety issue as well.”
He says when tent structures are close together and a fire starts it spreads quickly and there is a possibility of someone being seriously injured or losing their life. And he says with the cold weather there are other concerns around life safety and health. As well, when the weather turns cold, the homeless will seek other shelters like sheds, garages or vacant housing but it makes it harder to communicate and reach out to them.
Tribal Chief Mark Arcand says the proposed facility would be staffed 24 hours, it would run from December to March, and would include food, mental health and addiction support, access to elders and counselling, COVID testing and a plan to move people into long-term housing.
On October 26th, a person living in a homeless camp in Regina died of an overdose.
Community outreach workers will connect with the homeless where they are currently finding shelter in parks, natural areas, along the riverbank and other areas in Saskatoon.
The City is working with the Saweyihtotan community outreach team led by the Saskatoon Tribal Council, the Saskatoon Housing Initiative Partnership, Salvation Army, the Saskatoon Police Service and other agencies.
