Saskatchewan putting millions into shelter security

Homelessness has been getting worse in Saskatchewan, requiring more shelter spaces.

But as those spaces have opened, there are some who’ve been concerned about crime.

This week, in the provincial budget, the government set aside millions for security measures at shelters.

“We want to work on helping individuals with their challenges, but also we want to try and have as safe a neighbourhood as we can as well, and that public safety side is important too,” said Gene Makowsky, Saskatchewan’s social services minister.

The largest share of the money is $3.45 million to pay for third-party security at complex-needs emergency shelters in Regina and Saskatoon.

Complex-needs shelters help people who can be classed as “hard to house” because of issues that include mental health or addictions.

“That’s for those people who have significant challenges, but maybe have been banned from other providers,” said Makowsky.

Social Services Minister Gene Makowsky. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

He said those shelters are more like medical centres, with heightened security and wrap-around services.

There’s also $400,000 to be shared equally between the Regina and Saskatoon police services to pay for alternative response officers to look after emergency shelter areas. That money is contingent on municipalities matching the funding.

Security around shelters has been at the forefront of discussions in Saskatoon for months, after the Saskatoon Tribal Council opened a shelter in the Fairhaven neighbourhood and people living nearby started to complain about a perceived increase in crime.

Makowsky said the money in this year’s budget didn’t stem from concerns around that shelter specifically. Rather, he said government found there are challenges with camps and shelters and added security is part of the response.

Concerns from the community have also been raised over a complex-needs shelter set to go in an old SLGA building on Idylwyld Drive in Saskatoon.

“Hopefully people that are detained in the facility will choose treatment and, hopefully, recovery,” Makowsky said at the time.

“We want to have a process to be able to hand them off to another agency – whatever it may be – to be able to support those individuals.”

There was no date given for when that shelter will open.

Crime concerns have also come up as locations are sought for other shelters in Regina and Saskatoon. Saskatoon city council recently approved a measure requiring a 250-metre buffer zone between any shelters and elementary schools.