Updated list of Saskatoon warmup locations drops as cold continues

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The city has released an updated list of warming locations in Saskatoon as winter arrives with a vengeance.

Organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Friendship Inn and the FASD Network will have their doors open during daytime hours for those who need it.

The only organization listed to stay open overnight is the Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre at 168 Wall Street. St. Mary’s Parish at 211 Avenue O South is also listed to stay open overnight, but that won’t start until Dec. 9.

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Prairie Harm Reduction on 20th Street will also be open 24/7 until next week to accommodate people stuck outside. The building is listed in the Saskatoon Winter Emergency Response Plan to only be open during daytime hours on weekdays, but on Monday, PHR posted to social media saying that it would stay open around the clock for a week.

People who want to donate money to help can do so directly on the Prairie Harm Reduction website, and can also drop off warm clothing, blankets, food and supplies to 1516 20th Street West.

The fire department also addressed rumours on social media about a permit being granted for an encampment in the city. A fire department news release said the permit is only for a public smudge event.

“Our experiences in other municipalities have shown that large encampments can create significant health and various safety risks. We have frequently responded to fires at encampments and it is our priority to find alternative solutions that provide viable and dignified options for those in need,” the release said.

A report to city council next week recommends council approve a capital project called Winter Navigation and Warming Centres, which is a collaborative effort between the city and other organizations.

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Funding for the project is set at $1.2 million, with the city providing $200,000 through its reserve for capital expenditures. The remainder is expected to come from other levels of government, community organizations and private contributors.

The report says that last winter, the St. Mary’s Emergency Overnight Warming Centre had an average of 122 people stay there per night, with spikes of up to 230 people per night during extreme cold weather events.

It notes that local shelters were full during the summer months this year, and the number of homeless encampments increased. The report estimates 200 to 400 new people are homeless in the city.

It says planning began in the spring, but many of the locations considered were the wrong size or didn’t have the right setup.

Community partners that considered providing a location had already struggled to offer core services and couldn’t risk expanding, the report says. Some potential locations were also not available because existing programs would need to be relocated due to the hours of operation required.

The report also notes that the city administration is also working on a longterm homelessness action plan with community partners; the plan outlined in the report is an emergency measure.

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It says that the longterm plan would require substantial and stable funding from the federal and provincial governments.

A layout of the winter emergency response plan activation levels says the city is currently at a level 1, elevated watch phase until March 31; it outlines the criteria needed for that level to increase to 2 or 3 based on the weather.

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