A brand new homeless shelter opened in Saskatoon Friday amid life-threatening winter temperatures.
The Saskatoon Tribal Council’s (STC) facility moved from downtown to the Fairhaven neighbourhood. The brand new shelter has 106 beds, together with 31 that was on the Lighthouse Supported Residing facility downtown.
“It is a larger facility than downtown … it is a calmer ambiance,” mentioned STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand.
The STC will probably be closing the downtown location — which is at present getting used as a warm-up web site — on Sunday as a result of inadequate funding, Arcand mentioned.
He mentioned the Saskatoon Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP) gave the group $390,000, which might solely enable the positioning to be open in a single day from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. CST.
“I do not be ok with having individuals say they’ll solely are available at 10 o’clock,” Arcand mentioned.
“Proper now it is -30 C exterior. It is not proper, it isn’t humane. We should not be kicking individuals out throughout the day and telling them to come back again at 10 o’clock at night time.”
SHIP govt director Priscilla Johnstone mentioned there’s a lack of assets to fulfill the wants of all neighborhood members.
“It saddens me and it’s unlucky that we can not do extra,” she wrote in a press release to CBC.
Arcand mentioned an outreach crew will drive round downtown till 1 a.m. CST and supply individuals a experience to the brand new location, though he acknowledges some individuals do not wish to depart downtown.
Excessive chilly warning
It is anticipated that the shelter will probably be at full capability Friday night time, as an excessive chilly warning is in impact for a lot of components of Saskatchewan, together with Saskatoon. Excessive wind chill values close to -40 C will happen in a single day Friday night time into Saturday morning, in line with Setting Canada.
The Metropolis of Saskatoon has activated its excessive chilly climate emergency response and says individuals can heat up at one in every of 10 places.
The Saskatoon Excessive Chilly Climate Emergency Response has been activated. Please share this checklist of warm-up places and hold an eye fixed out for anybody who may have help within the chilly climate. <a href=”https://t.co/qA6V25Q4mB”>https://t.co/qA6V25Q4mB</a>
—@cityofsaskatoon
Saskatoon Transit additionally has a protected bus program the place individuals can use a metropolis bus for instant shelter or to contact emergency companies.
Arcand mentioned individuals can nonetheless heat up on the shelter and get a scorching meal even when there aren’t sufficient beds.
Shelter presents cultural counselling, dependancy helps
Arcand mentioned the brand new facility can be extra geared up to take care of the town’s wants. He mentioned the centre is staffed appropriately with 15 safety guards and 5 assist employees to deal with any issues or issues that come up.
The power additionally has a paramedic who works on web site, and works carefully with Saskatoon hearth and police companies.
The brand new centre presents three meals day by day, bathe and laundry amenities, and cultural, counselling and addictions helps.
Arcand mentioned employees will join individuals with housing and employment.
Transportation will probably be made accessible for individuals trying to make use of companies in Fairhaven, he mentioned.
:format(jpeg)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tgam/6OZIZYVL35B7VKCP5WMX6TXTKM.JPG "Vancouver police, metropolis employees transfer into Downtown Eastside to clear tent encampment")
