Clark critical of provincial efforts to support vulnerable people

Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark strongly criticized the Saskatchewan government for being slow to help the city’s most vulnerable people during the pandemic, saying its plan “pales in comparison” to Alberta’s, which includes tens of millions of dollars for shelters.

“Right now is an urgent time for the province to make it an immediate priority to get the systems in place to support our vulnerable population,” Clark told reporters Wednesday, one day after the province rolled out its plan, which has been panned as a “Band-aid.”

“For two weeks, there’s been discussions and meetings with the province, but frankly, we are lacking action. We are lacking clear and adequate funding commitments and the implementation of easily-accessible systems to house the homeless, to help provide testing and food,” he added.

Clark spoke to reporters two days after he and 10 local leaders, including Saskatoon’s police and fire chiefs, Saskatoon Tribal Council’s chief, the president of the University of Saskatchewan, and two Safe Community Action Alliance leaders dispatched a letter to Premier Scott Moe.

The letter asked for a fixed funding model for emergency shelters rather than the existing per-diem system, a hotel-based shelter system; it also sought more support for the 25,000 Indigenous people living in the city and more clarity around reporting requirements for social assistance programs.

Clark, who has spoken previously about the risk of allowing COVID-19 to infiltrate the city’s homeless population and emergency shelters, declined to say how much money is necessary, but noted current funding for front-line organizations is “inadequate” given the demands of the pandemic.

“The magnitude of the challenge has grown, but the province’s response has not grown to meet the magnitude of this challenge,” he said.

The city’s homeless population is difficult to quantify, but the most recent point in time count identified 450 people — a figure that does not include people who are couch surfing and others who are housing-insecure. It also doesn’t include people about to face pandemic-related housing shortages.

The Safe Community Action Alliance estimates upwards of 3,000 people are either homeless or on the verge of homelessness.

Saskatoon director of emergency management Pamela Goulden-mcleod, who joined Clark on the conference call, said history has shown time and time again that vulnerable people are disproportionately affected by disasters, such as pandemics.

“This is not new information,” she said.

Clark said Moe’s office has yet to provide a direct response to the letter, but noted members of the provincial cabinet are aware of the issues it raises. He also warned that reports from frontline workers suggest vulnerable people are turning up at shelters with “COVID-LIKE symptoms.”

“This is a matter of hours, not days,” he said.

Clark spoke one day after the provincial government rolled out a one-time $171,000 funding boost to be divided between 10 emergency shelters in Saskatchewan. Social Services Minister Paul Merriman described it as a five per cent funding increase to be used for sanitary supplies.

Community-based organizations have previously called for fixed funding due to the pandemic. AIDS Saskatoon executive director Jason Mercredi called the province’s announcement “a drop in the bucket” that doesn’t address most shelters’ concerns.

In a prepared statement Tuesday afternoon, government spokesman Jim Billington confirmed receipt of the letter and said the provincial government “appreciated the engagement of Mayor Clark and the City of Saskatoon.”

Billington said Merriman will continue engaging with shelters and municipal officials “to continue collaboration and adapt existing processes within the Ministry of Social Services with the aim of serving the needs of clients.”