Saskatoon’s newest emergency shelter will likely be downtown

(Daniel Shingoose/CTV News)

A former Saskatchewan Transportation Company building located at 210 Pacific Avenue has been identified as a potential temporary site for an enhanced emergency shelter.

The city-owned property will undergo renovations to accommodate about 30 to 40 beds, offering essential amenities like showers, bathrooms, and kitchen facilities, the city said in a news release late Friday afternoon.

The last shelter location the city identified, a former fire hall in Sutherland, was later spiked by councillors in the wake of mass protests by residents, aided by a small but vocal contingent of Fairhaven residents who believe the shelter in their neighbourhood has caused a surge in crime — although police stats contradict their claims.

In Sutherland, the dispute came to a head with a February city council motion limiting the criteria for the selection of a shelter site — barring one from being opened within 250 metres of an elementary school. With the motion passed, the fire hall’s proximity to the Bishop Filevich Elementary School meant it could not proceed in Sutherland.

If approved by city council, the downtown temporary shelter is expected to open in winter to provide 24-7 access to shelter for clients, with three meals a day and access to case managers and other services.

The province, which has committed up to $250,000 for renovations to open the facility, will lease the building and provide operational funding, while Alberta-based non-profit the Mustard Seed will operate the service.

More details about the proposed site are expected at the Sept. 25 city council meeting.

Neighbourhood information sessions will be held on Sept. 16 to provide area residents and businesses with details about the shelter operations and safety plans, the city says.

The shelter is part of a Saskatchewan government plan announced in October 2023 to alleviate the homelessness crisis, which includes 60 new emergency shelter spaces and 15 complex needs shelter spaces for Saskatoon.

The province is funding the shelters, but asked the city to choose the locations.

The city says the search for a longer-term solution continues.