Regina's Ethan Vibert back in the Queen City for CFL combine
5h ago
"Just getting to come out here and represent myself and my school in Regina is a cool experience."
In less than two weeks, a new Saskatoon temporary emergency homeless shelter run by The Mustard Seed will begin taking in clients.
The shelter, located at 210 Pacific Avenue, has been extensively renovated over the last several months, at a cost of about $610,000. The provincial government provided a $250,000 grant, however the City of Saskatoon had to dip into its reserves to pay the balance.
The 30 to 40 bed facility will be open for the next 18 months while the City of Saskatoon continues its search for a permanent shelter space.
Fencing around the property to prevent loitering and encampments (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)
According to Samantha Lowe, senior director of shelter operations, staff members are undergoing training in preparation for the April 1st opening.
Anyone who shows up at the door will go through an intake process including screening for prohibited items like illicit drugs, alcohol or weapons. There will also be storage for people’s possessions.
Beyond that, Lowe said staff will work with a “multitude” of local services to help those in need eventually find more permanent housing.
“We are housing-focused…individuals come in, we work with them and do an intake, we provide food, we provide a bed for sleeping, but we also provide case management,” she explained.
“We find that as we work with individuals and understand the needs of the population itself, then we understand where to find that housing.”
Access to the shelter won’t be allowed from Pacific Avenue, but from adjacent Ontario Avenue, creating a long, narrow passage to the facility and a courtyard-type area. Lowe said there won’t be any encampments allowed anywhere near the shelter.
“We will not allow encampments to occur within that enclosed space. Loitering will also not be allowed,” she emphasized.
Intake area from Ontario Avenue (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM )
She added that there will be some community engagement meetings coming up for local businesses and residents — but couldn’t provide dates.
“I’ve left that to our community engagement team, so I can’t give you specifics, unfortunately,” Lowe said.
After the shelter opens, according to a statement from the Ministry of Social Services, the number of shelter spaces at the 106-bed Fairhaven location will remain the same for the time being.
“The Ministry of Social Services is working with community partners to ensure there are enough shelter spaces available and individuals experiencing homelessness have access to services. As the City of Saskatoon works to identify a new long-term shelter location, we will monitor utilization of existing shelter spaces,” it read.
Lowe said anyone with questions about the shelter, can go to their website to learn more about their operations.