SaskatoonSaskatoon city hall is exploring the possibility of a single hub for services for homeless people, aiming for potential locations to be identified as early as the spring.Potential locations to be identified as early as the springPhil Tank · CBC News · Posted: Oct 16, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours agoSaskatoon city council’s governance and priorities committee debates the possibility of a homeless hub at their Wednesday meeting. (Phil Tank/CBC)Saskatoon city hall is exploring the possibility of a single hub for services for homeless people, aiming for potential locations to be identified as early as the spring.A city council committee voted unanimously Wednesday to further explore the concept of a “centralized navigation hub” to address the increased need for services.Mayor Cynthia Block spoke in favour of a central location, rather than a series of smaller hubs at various locations.Block cited her experience participating in the Sanctum Care Group’s annual challenge, where participants experience homelessness for 36 hours.“The amount of walking is a lot, even for someone who’s very able-bodied, just to get to the basic services,” Block told the governance and priorities committee. “And you finally get to the place you think you need to go and they’re closed or that isn’t the right location to get that specific service.”Block said the service providers and homeless people she spoke to during the challenge all stressed the need for a central location for services.A city report cites a list of services that could be available at a centralized hub, including support for health care, transportation, housing, employment and cultural programming.Amenities could include washrooms and showers, food, laundry storage, pet space and counselling services.An expanded model could include overnight warming space for 120 people and shelter space for 60, the report adds.Ward 7 Coun. Holly Kelleher put forward the motion to pursue one centralized hub rather than smaller hubs.Block warned “we will fail” if city hall does not pursue a single location. She cited an example from Yorkton that appears to work well.Cost of hub estimated at $8.7M to $32MCity administration said establishing a central hub would cost between $8.7 million and $32 million depending on whether an existing structure is converted or a new facility is built.Ongoing operational costs would range from $2.6 million to $3.4 million.The committee backed consultations with other levels of government on possible funding commitments toward the hub.WATCH | From July: A first look at Saskatoon’s homelessness action plan:1st look at Saskatoon’s homelessness action planThe plan proposes a handful of tactics to help homeless people, including working with developers to convert underused commercial properties into affordable housing, and giving incentives to property owners to repair and renovate existing units. Ward 6 Coun. Jasmin Parker said she’s concerned a single hub could concentrate services on one side of the city, given the dividing line of the South Saskatchewan River.Ward 5 Coun. Randy Donauer warned about city hall expanding its responsibilities.“I don’t want to be the grinch,” Donauer said. “But I do want to reiterate my concerns about us moving into an area of provincial jurisdiction, not because there isn’t a need, but because we’ll go broke if we keep doing everything the province is supposed to do.”Homelessness count takes place ThursdayWednesday’s vote took place one day before this year’s point-in-time homelessness count is scheduled to happen in Saskatoon. Last year, 1,499 people were counted, nearly three times the number as two years before.Saskatoon Community Foundation CEO Rachael Steinke told a council committee last week that the homeless count number is expected to be even higher this year.Wednesday’s committee also voted to spend $550,000 to extend a sidewalk and build a fence at the location of the permanent, 60-bed provincial shelter at 170 31st Street West.Don Scott, director of the Western Academy Broadcasting College, which is located a couple of blocks north of the proposed shelter, spoke against the facility.Scott said he was speaking on behalf of schools in the area, including St. Michael’s Community School.The area is already being affected by the presence of homeless people, Scott said. The permanent shelter would replicate issues associated with the former shelter at The Lighthouse downtown, he added.“Basically, the proposed location of the new homeless shelter would be exporting downtown’s problem to the Caswell (Hill) neighbourhood,” Scott said. “In actual fact, this homeless shelter is going to be an exploding bomb of infiltration spreading through the neighbourhood yards, the school playgrounds, the shopping areas and the strolling paths.” Scott acknowledged that there is a need for shelters and to address the homelessness crisis.
Council committee backs single hub for services for homeless people in Saskatoon
