Saskatoon city council approves $1.2M winter warming centre plan

Saskatoon’s new city council has approved the latest cold weather strategy, a $1.2 million plan to operate winter warming centres for those in need.

City administrators pitched the idea at a city council meeting Wednesday morning, saying they secured about $1 million from private donors and the provincial and federal governments, but the remaining $200,000 is needed from the city.

“We need to fill that [funding] gap to ensure that we have the full funding to secure the locations and the staffing for the entire period of time,” said Lesley Anderson, director of city planning and development.

City council unanimously approved the $200, 000 which will be taken from the Reserve for Capital Expenditures.

Pamela Goulden-McLeod, director of emergency management with the Saskatoon Fire Department, said receiving council’s support was critical.

“I'm so glad that council understands the emergency issue that we're dealing with and is providing that level of support,” Goulden-McLeod said.

The new cold weather strategy focuses on “warming and navigation centres,” with a goal of adding outreach supports to the locations.

Goulden-McLeod said her team first saw success with their navigation centre strategy after launching the washroom trailer program this summer.

“When you create a safe location where people feel respected, where they have their dignity intact, where you meet them where they're at, and you meet them with kindness and concern — that's what helped that location expand far more than just a washroom and a toilet,” she said.

Major Gordon Taylor with the Salvation Army said the growing number of people experiencing homelessness is “a little bit terrifying.”

“Winter has come in earlier this year, but the numbers are scary, so it's a good thing we have two locations set up for this winter,” Taylor said.

Last winter the Salvation Army ran an overnight warming location for both men and women at St. Mary’s Parish, but with the need for more capacity and some people voicing safety concerns, there will now be separate spaces for men and women.

The Indian and Métis Friendship Centre (IMFC) will operate the overnight warming location for women, while St. Mary’s Parish will accommodate men.

Due to maintenance issues, St. Mary’s Parish is not scheduled to open until the second week of December.

“We're currently scheduled to open at St. Mary's December 9th. We’re hopeful we can even push that and open sooner,” Taylor said.

In the meantime, the IMFC is accommodating both men and women. Taylor said the warming centres will need donations of winter clothing such as toques, mittens, and scarves.