Saskatchewan Party, NDP promise to work with Ottawa on homeless supports if elected

A composite image made from two file photos show Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck, left, and Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu

Saskatchewan's two major political parties promised Thursday to work with federal partners on finding the best deal for addressing homelessness if they win Monday's provincial election.

NDP Leader Carla Beck told reporters Saskatchewan should be working with the federal government and municipalities on ways to support homeless people.

Beck has said the NDP would introduce rent caps, make vacant provincial housing units available to families and increase the supply of rental units.

She said she isn't blind to reality.

"(I) saw people sleeping rough on the street just when we were driving up here today," Beck said in Prince Albert.

"We should be working … to ensure that we are providing the best services for people in this province."

Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser has said he wrote to provinces last month about working together to fund shelter spaces for those experiencing homelessness. Saskatchewan was one of three that hadn't formally responded, he said.

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"While some have since entered election periods, there was ample engagement before the letter was sent, and there is no longer time to wait as the weather gets colder," Fraser said.

"In these cases — along with any others who do not take quick action — we are now approaching municipalities directly to work with them, urgently."

At dissolution, the governing Saskatchewan Party had 42 seats, while the Opposition NDP had 14. There were four Independents and one seat was vacant.

At a Thursday campaign stop in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan Party Leader Scott Moe said he welcomes the funding and sitting down with the federal government to discuss solutions that lead to a better life for those in need.

Asked why his government hadn't responded before the writ drop, Moe said there had been unofficial discussions between both governments.

"If we have the honour to form government, we'll certainly be engaging on not only this file, but any other files that may have popped up during the election campaign that we're in," he said.

Saskatchewan Party spokesman Matt Glover said then-social services minister Gene Makowsky felt it inappropriate to meet at the time, given the "proximity to the provincial election."

Moe's party has said it would support the Provincial Approach to Homelessness, which includes funding 155 new supporting housing spaces and a little more than 150 emergency shelter spaces.

In its platform, the party said its government has invested more than $92 million since 2007 to develop nearly 1,000 units for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said in a statement that the city has been in contact with Fraser's office about funding over the last number of months and its goal is to work with both Ottawa and the province.

An official with the City of Regina said in an email it had not yet heard from the federal government about Fraser's statement. "We remain open to discussions and look forward to any forthcoming collaboration on this important issue."