Affordability, housing are hot topics ahead of Sask. election campaign

Provincial cabinet ministers were in Saskatoon Tuesday touting the low cost of living and its effect on the economy, with Saskatchewan currently reporting the lowest inflation rate in Canada.

“We have the second lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in Canada, that is very encouraging,” said Harpauer. “What it does, it allows us to borrow at less rates than other provinces can.”

But Saskatchewan’s two largest cities continue to grapple with housing and shelter space issues.

Opposition leader Carla Beck has been critical of government housing units sitting empty and changes to the SIS program that removed direct payment to landlords.

“I don't want to see anyone freeze on the streets or lose their limbs on the streets like we've seen in recent years,” said Beck. “So short term, you need to get people off the streets. You need a longer term housing strategy.”

In Saskatoon, there’s a proposal for another homeless shelter amid growing concerns about people finding a roof over their head with cold weather coming.

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Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky was asked what the province would do to ensure people are adequately housed.

“We have many partnerships and projects ongoing for supportive housing,” he said. “Emergency shelters are needed, but they're not the end of that housing continuum.”

The NDP leader says it’s going to take governments, home builders, advocates and landlords to solve the housing and homelessness crisis.

“I don't have a magic wand,” Beck told CTV News. “This has to be all governments working together. home builders, those who build rental housing. This has to be advocates for those who need supports to maintain shelter. But this is a problem that needs to be addressed.”

This week, several housing stakeholders released a report saying between 60,000 and 80,000 new housing units were needed by 2030 with calls for policy changes to kickstart building.

Harpauer says the province will consider the ideas in that report.

“Yes, we’ll consider everything that’s in it,” she said. “Can we do everything that’s in it? Probably not. But we’ll be analyzing what they’re suggesting.”

Both parties agree there’s no single solution to the housing and homelessness problem, it’s another part of the affordability conversation that continues to be had in the province. Especially with another election campaign on the horizon.