Saskatoon’s newest emergency shelter will likely be downtown
A former Saskatchewan Transportation Company building located at 210 Pacific Avenue has been identified as a potential temporary site for an enhanced emergency shelter.
The city-owned property will undergo renovations to accommodate about 30 to 40 beds, offering essential amenities like showers, bathrooms, and kitchen facilities, the city said in a news release late Friday afternoon.
The last shelter location the city identified, a former fire hall in Sutherland, was later spiked by councillors in the wake of mass protests by residents, aided by a small but vocal contingent of Fairhaven residents who believe the shelter in their neighbourhood has caused a surge in crime — although police stats contradict their claims.
In Sutherland, the dispute came to a head with a February city council motion limiting the criteria for the selection of a shelter site — barring one from being opened within 250 metres of an elementary school. With the motion passed, the fire hall’s proximity to the Bishop Filevich Elementary School meant it could not proceed in Sutherland.
If approved by city council, the downtown temporary shelter is expected to open in winter to provide 24-7 access to shelter for clients, with three meals a day and access to case managers and other services.
The province, which has committed up to $250,000 for renovations to open the facility, will lease the building and provide operational funding, while Alberta-based non-profit the Mustard Seed will operate the service.
More details about the proposed site are expected at the Sept. 25 city council meeting.
Neighbourhood information sessions will be held on Sept. 16 to provide area residents and businesses with details about the shelter operations and safety plans, the city says.
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.
The city says the search for a longer-term solution continues.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
After warmest on record, winter looks to 'salvage its reputation': Weather Network
Canada's warmest winter on record is unlikely to make a repeat performance this year, The Weather Network's chief meteorologist says, as a new seasonal forecast suggests the season will try to 'salvage its reputation.'
W5 Investigates Canada's least wanted man: A family's long and lonely fight to bring their son home from Syria
Counterterrorism experts and humanitarian groups are urging countries to repatriate suspected ISIS members, as one family tells CTV W5 about their long and lonely fight to bring their son home from Syria.
Trudeau to meet with premiers today following Trump tariff threat
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to meet with the country's premiers this afternoon, after they asked for an urgent meeting on U.S.-Canada relations ahead of the incoming Donald Trump administration.
A fugitive wanted in the U.S. for a pair of bombings is arrested in the U.K. after 20 years on the run
A suspected animal rights extremist wanted in the U.S. for bombings in the San Francisco area was arrested in Britain after more than 20 years on the run from the law, officials said Tuesday.
International Criminal Court prosecutor requests arrest warrants for the head of Myanmar's military regime
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor asked judges on Wednesday to issue an arrest warrant for the head of Myanmar's military regime for crimes committed against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority.
$30K used as payment in 1990s murder-for-hire plot must be forfeited: B.C. court
A B.C. court has ordered the forfeiture of $30,000 in cash that was seized during a murder-for-hire investigation more than 30 years ago.
N.S. Progressive Conservatives win second majority government; NDP to form opposition
For the second time in a row, Tim Houston's Progressive Conservatives have won a majority government in Nova Scotia. But this time, the NDP will form the official opposition.
Should Canada retaliate if Trump makes good on 25 per cent tariff threat?
After U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports on his first day back in the White House unless his border concerns are addressed, there is mixed reaction on whether Canada should retaliate.
As Trump vows major tariff hike, a look at what the U.S. imports from Canada
Some Canadian products could face huge tariffs on the first day of Donald Trump's administration in January. Here’s a quick look at what the U.S. imports from Canada.