An encampment in Saskatoon began coming down Thursday as the city cites fire hazards, violence and other public safety concerns. A group of community organizations and government agencies began clearing the encampment at 20th Street and Avenue K South Thursday morning, two days after a second injunction application was filed to stop removing the encampment. Both injunction applications – filed in the past two weeks – were denied by the judge. The city says the encampment is on private property and the site is being removed because of growing safety concerns for residents and the surrounding neighbourhood. “Encampments are removed because they begin to become unsafe for both the residents living in them and the schools, services, businesses and neighbourhoods around them,” said Deputy fire chief Yvonne Raymer. “Every agency involved in this has the same goal: to ensure people are safe and that they are living in a safe environment,” Raymer said. “We connect people to housing, shelter, health services and other supports as part of addressing the serious safety concerns at the encampment site.” Raymer says crews have responded to four encampment-related fires since Oct. 5, including fires that damaged trees, brush, a makeshift shelter and a fence. The city also cites reports of suspected gang activity, domestic violence, assaults and open drug use at or near the site. The city says outreach workers have been helping connect encampment residents with housing, shelter, transportation, health care and other services. Organizations assisting include the Saskatoon Tribal Council, Central Urban Métis Federation Inc., the Salvation Army and the provincial Ministry of Social Services. Mark Arcand, tribal chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council, says violence and gang activity at the encampment have increased in recent weeks. He says people need access to housing, addiction treatment, medical care and cultural supports in a safe environment. “At the Avenue K site, there’s too much violence and gang activity, including drugs and sex trafficking happening there, and it is spilling out onto our other programs,” he said. “The real solution is for people to access the supports they need, to get housing, addiction treatment, medical care, and connection to culture, in a safe environment. This won’t happen as long as they are at an encampment. Instead, the most vulnerable relatives will continue to be at risk from the activities occurring there and their cycle will continue.’ The city says the Ministry of Social Services staff will continue working with people at the site to provide income assistance and connect them with emergency shelter spaces, detox services, hotels when available and other supports. The city adds that removing the encampment will not solve homelessness on its own, but says the effort is part of a broader community response aimed at connecting people with housing and support services as colder weather approaches.
