Saskatoon council hears proposal for 15-bed “complex needs” shelter

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Saskatoon city council spent the bulk of its Wednesday business meeting addressing an application from the provincial government to set up a temporary emergency shelter for some of the city’s hardest-to-house people.

The city last week issued notices to residents and businesses within a few hundred metres of 1701 Idylwyld Drive North, indicating the province is seeking to use it for a 15-bed facility for people with “complex needs,” a term generally applied to people with mental health or addictions challenges that make them a potential danger to themselves or others, and who cannot be housed at existing facilities, other than police detention cells.

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The proposed facility is part of a $90 million package aimed at addressing mental health, addictions and homelessness announced by the province in October.

Between Leslie Anderson, the city’s director of planning and development, and city solicitor Cindy Yellend, council members heard a temporary emergency shelter is a permitted use under the property’s zoning.

As such, council was told there is no option to reject the province’s application — only to set a timeframe of between one and 18 months for the proposed emergency shelter to operate.

Yellend further clarified that setting a zero-month timeline would amount to council acting in bad faith, while noting such a decision could be appealed.

Council heard a presentation from Chad Ryan, executive director of the organization strategic management branch of the Ministry of Social Services; he was joined by representatives from Social Services and the ministries of Corrections and Health.

Council learned the province has selected what Ryan described as a “nationally recognized” third party to run the proposed site. The third party operator is to provide the full complement of medical and security staff.

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The provincial representatives declined to name the provider, citing ongoing contract negotiations. That information is expected in early 2024, before the projected opening of the facility.

Ryan noted the proposed facility will be operated as a pilot project. Unlike the 12-bed brief detox unit currently operated by the Saskatchewan Health Authority on Avenue O South, clients won’t be able to “self-refer” — they can only be brought in by police.

Council heard people arriving at the facility will be considered to be in custody, and can be held there for up to 24 hours.

Council heard the facility operator will seek to provide a “warm handoff” of clients after 24 hours, including transportation to another shelter, a family member’s home, or other suitable location. However, Ryan acknowledged there is no guarantee some clients won’t refuse services and end up released into the surrounding community.

Council also heard from about a dozen speakers, mostly residents and business owners from the area near the proposed shelter site.

Most criticized the process leading to Wednesday’s vote, noting they received only a few business days’ notice, and questioned the suitability of the site, noting its proximity to homes and businesses.

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Tony Badger, owner of a British café across the street from the proposed site, was moved to tears as he described his concerns about safety for his staff and customers. Another speaker who has worked for decades at a nearby restaurant lamented that, if the facility is allowed to proceed, the slogan “Saskatoon Shines” could come to refer to sunlight glinting off of streets littered with discarded needles. 

The decision by city staff to distribute the mailout announcing the province’s application also appeared to create confusion among residents about which order of government is responsible for the proposed shelter; some speakers reported that provincial MLAs contacted about the issue told them to contact the city.

Council heard the province picked the site of the proposed shelter without any input from the city, with an eye to using buildings it already owns. Ryan said this was done to get the new facility running as soon as possible.

The city will have a hand in picking sites for two additional 30-bed facilities the province also plans for Saskatoon; these will not be complex needs beds, and the city will not be responsible for operating either facility when they open. To date, no locations for these sites have been announced.

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Council voted 10-1 in favour of granting the full 18-month operating window for the proposed facility.

Coun. Darren Hill was the lone opposing vote. During the meeting, he attempted to introduce a motion to limit the facility’s operation to six months, but did not find a seconder. He said he would have supported 18 months if the province had included a guarantee that people discharged from the facility would be transported elsewhere. Hill went on to encourage nearby residents and business owners to pressure their provincial representatives on this point.

Coun. Randy Donauer supported the 18-month operating window. However, he also said he feels it’s likely council would simply be brought back to approve an extension of any shorter period, and would be just as restricted in the decisions available to it, as provincial law requires council to respect the current zoning.

Mayor Charlie Clark noted the city has asked the province to step up its efforts to address crises in homelessness, addictions and mental health. He said he doesn’t believe there’s any potential site in the city that wouldn’t come with similar concerns for nearby residents.

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No facility — not even the police detention cells — can guarantee someone refusing further help isn’t discharged directly into the community, Clark added.

Council unanimously supported Hill’s motion to request that the provincial government report back to council at the six- and 12-month marks after the new facility opens.

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