‘It costs people lives’: City of Regina declares ‘houselessness crisis’

Regina City Council voted to declare a “houselessness crisis” in the city on Wednesday.

The measure seeks to further enlist the help of the federal and provincial governments in addressing the issue.

The motion from Ward 3 Coun. David Froh passed 8-2, with councillors Clark Bezo (Ward 10) and George Tsiklis (Ward 2) the only two that voted against the decision.

Read more:

• ‘It’s a crisis’: Regina homeless count sees 824, double 2021 number
• Community grieves at ninth annual Regina Homeless Memorial
• ‘Be the village’: Saskatoon woman keeps homeless warm this winter

“There is wide support across the city that it need not be normal for people to sleep in alleys and parkades at the mall and die,” said Froh on Friday.

“So it’s critical that we address it. We have a moral imperative, but there’s an economic imperative that costs citizens money and it costs people lives.”

The measure calls on the Government of Saskatchewan to make empty housing units available in Regina and across the province.

It also calls on them to raise income assistance rates for programs like Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) and Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability Program (SAID) to keep clients above the poverty line.

“We’ve had an unhoused crisis for years,” Froh said.

“Residents, businesses, faith groups have been asking us to declare a crisis but then, most critically, to partner in good faith with provincial government to save lives and address the fact that we desperately need more housing, secondary shelters and the living wage.”

The motion also called for the Government of Canada to invest in a housing-first national housing strategy.

The City of Regina administration is now tasked with reporting back to council about the financial resources needed to execute the Community Safety and Well-being Plan, as well as its Everyone is Home Plan.

A similar motion to declare homelessness an emergency was brought to the city council in 2023 but was defeated.

In 2022, the council approved a funding plan to end homelessness in Regina, although funding for homelessness was not included as a line item for the 2023 budget, sparking a tossed out lawsuit against the city manager and discord at council.

Regina’s homeless population more than doubled from 408 in 2021 to 824 in 2024, according to Namerind Housing Corporation’s point-in-time count.

“The truth is, full stop, the City of Regina cannot afford to do this without provincial and federal government help. I’m very optimistic they’ll be there for us,” Froh said.

Read more:

• ‘It’s a crisis’: Regina homeless count sees 824, double 2021 number
• Community grieves at ninth annual Regina Homeless Memorial
• ‘Be the village’: Saskatoon woman keeps homeless warm this winter