Regina mayor weighs in on homeless encampment in Pepsi Park

Mayor Sandra Masters offered her thoughts on a growing number of tents being set up in Pepsi Park by those without a home.

“The city doesn’t endorse or support a tent city on public property. We do, however, have an obligation to keep people safe, both those in the encampment as well as the surrounding neighbourhoods,” Masters told reporters after Wednesday’s council meeting.

Anti-poverty advocates say the encampment is the result of changes the provincial government made to its social assistance program.

The mayor said the Ministry of Social Services sent workers to meet with those living in the encampment and they were able to book appointments with four out of 11 people there, registering them for services and to find housing.

“Ultimately that is their purview and their jurisdiction and they’re the ones that facilitate access to all of those programs and we thank them for showing up and going to where the people are,” Masters said.

Police and the fire department have been checking the camp regularly, she said, with “ongoing conversations” about heating and fire.

“We are now in daily contact also with the shelters in the city. We do know there is space in the shelters and we’re continuing to monitor and get updates from the shelters on their space capacities,” Masters said, adding hotel rooms could house the homeless in the event shelters become full.

Masters said the city has a role to play in helping people obtain housing through the social service system.

However, she said the camp will not be permitted to remain indefinitely.

“There will be a timeline, and I can’t tell you what that is right now, but there will be a timeline when we’ll be looking to end the encampment,” she said.