Saskatoon residents stage protest against incoming homeless shelter
Residents of Saskatoon’s Sutherland neighbourhood took to the streets on Monday to protest a temporary 30-bed emergency shelter scheduled to open in their community.
About 30 people gathered at the intersection of Central Avenue and Attridge Drive with homemade signs, including slogans like “betrayed by city council,” and “I have the right to feel safe.”
Protestors told CTV News they were concerned about the lack of community consultation from the city in choosing the location, and worried the shelter residents would cause a surge in property crime and lower their property values.
They were flanked by a crew of vocal residents from Fairhaven who are actively campaigning against the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s emergency shelter in their own neighbourhood.
(Rory MacLean / CTV News)
The group also included a contingent of Ukrainian immigrants, some of whose children attend the bilingual Bishop Filevich Elementary school, located roughly 250 metres from the former fire hall on Central Avenue where the provincially-funded shelter is scheduled to open.
One Ukrainian woman, who told CTV News she moved to Canada 12 years ago, held a sign that said “fled the war, need safety.”
Organizer Rostyk Hursky said the Ukrainian students who recently fled the war have found a safe haven at Bishop Filevich school, and he worries their new neighbours will make them feel less safe.
“They came to Canada with the province and the city promising them safety … and so the school population more than doubled, and these kids come with their own challenges … from the war,” Hursky said.
Sutherland resident Sheila Brash says she resents that the city did not consult the community before choosing the location. She has unanswered questions.
“I'd like to know, for one thing, who's gonna go around and pick up all the dirty needles? Like the teachers can’t, they're busy. The police have other things to do,” said Brash.
“And I want to know is my property value gonna go down; are they gonna compensate me for when I need to move? They’re not going to do that, because they don’t care. It’s not in their back yard.”
The shelter is part of a Saskatchewan government plan announced in October 2023 to alleviate the homelessness crisis, which includes 60 new emergency shelter spaces and 15 complex needs shelter spaces for Saskatoon.
The province is funding the shelters, but asked the city to choose the locations. Alberta-based non-profit Mustard Seed has been tapped to operate the Sutherland facility.
The city had scheduled a community information session for this month, but it was recently rescheduled to March 11-12. More details on the meetings are expected this week.
A city web page dedicated to the shelter issue says the city is responding to the homelessness crisis with a “sense of urgency.”
“There is a crisis of homelessness, both with increasing numbers of people who are without homes as well as the risks that come with colder winter temperatures,” the city said.
“The city is responding to this sense of urgency by helping to identify emergency shelter locations for those experiencing homelessness.”
-With files from Noah Rishaug
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Feature Report Fixed or variable? Advice from more than 50 brokers for Canadians whose mortgages are up for renewal
Over the next year-and-a-half, 44 per cent of all mortgages will be up for renewal in Canada. To help guide consumers through these uncertain financial times, CTV News reached out to more than 50 mortgage brokers across Canada with a list of questions. Their answers provide professional guidance for individuals and families searching for clarity and sound advice.
Airline loses Ontario woman's suitcase, doesn't offer compensation for 3 months
An Ontario woman who took a trip to Mexico in February said the airline lost her luggage on the flight home and didn’t compensate her for three months.
Bread, milk, apples: Federal NDP wants price cap for grocery store staples
The federal New Democrats want a price cap on grocery store staples if the Liberal government can't convince grocers to bring down the prices themselves.
Mourners can now speak to an AI version of the dead. But will that help with grief?
A 61-year-old startup entrepreneur teamed up with his friend in the U.S., Robert LoCascio, CEO of the AI-powered legacy platform Eternos. Within two months, they built "a comprehensive, interactive AI version" of Michael Bommer -- the company's first client.
Her gut was producing alcohol. Doctors didn't believe her
For two years doctors told her she was an alcoholic. Then they realized her gut was making alcohol from carbohydrates, a rare condition called auto-brewery syndrome.
North Korea's trash balloons deepen tensions with the South. Here's what's happening between rivals
Animosities between North and South Korea are rising sharply again over an unusual cause: The North's rubbish-carrying balloons.
Takeaways from Fauci's testimony at contentious U.S. House hearing on COVID-19 pandemic
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testified on Monday at a House subcommittee hearing about the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the origins of the virus.
National Bank of Canada seizes Ont. woman's car by mistake
A university student woke up one morning to find her car had been towed away without warning. She finally got answers - just not the ones she expected.
India election: Modi's coalition leads in early count but opposition is stiffer than expected
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's coalition led in a majority of seats Tuesday in India's general election, according to early figures, but faced a stronger challenge from the opposition than expected after it pushed back against the leader's mixed economic record and polarizing politics.