Advocates for homeless want more options in pandemic
Short-term plan may help contain virus, groups say
Saskatoon non-profits are asking the government to provide interim housing for asymptomatic homeless people so they can be tested for COVID-19 before entering city shelters.
Shelters say “interim” housing could help them keep COVID-19 out of shelters as case numbers rise and temperatures dip.
“We have more COVID-19 cases than we've ever had before, and I think the more cases we get the more complex the contact tracing has been for folks,” said Colleen Christopherson-cote, a member of the Saskatoon Inter-agency Response.
“The homeless population is very interconnected. So the possibility that people are social distancing is not likely.”
Saskatchewan has more than 500 known active cases of COVID-19 as of Friday. There have not been any outbreaks in shelters, but a memo sent to front-line organizations this month warned about rising transmission in Saskatoon's inner city.
Saskatchewan's Ministry of Social Services is currently sponsoring hotel stays for people who need to self-isolate because of COVID-19 but do not have the means to do so.
But in the context of COVID-19, the ministry typically only provides that to people with a COVID-19 diagnosis, symptoms or exposure. It says it provided assisted hotel stays to 390 people between April 9 and Sept. 30.
Lyn Brown, executive director of the Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), argues it would be helpful to also sponsor new shelter clients who have no COVID-19 symptoms before they enter a shelter. She said the colder season brings an influx of people to shelters, sometimes from communities outside the city.
“If they come back with a positive test, that's a much larger challenge, particularly when they're in shelter,” Brown said.
Brown and Christopherson-cote said Social Services has not agreed to fund such an additional system. A ministry spokesperson said staff are not able to defend or promote policy during the electoral writ period, but the existing system continues.
The Lighthouse Supported Living Inc. operates 61 shelter beds in
Saskatoon. Advancement services manager Melissa Smith said staff screen guests for COVID-19 and it's not always clear if someone is eligible for a hotel stay, especially if they're from an area with an active outbreak.
“It puts a lot more pressure on the front-line staff in our shelter system.”
SHIP also develops Saskatoon's cold weather strategy. Brown said this year is bringing plenty of new challenges.
“Warming stations” that are set up each year are likely going to be fewer and will have reduced capacity because of concerns around COVID-19. Brown said staff are already seeing high demand for scarves, mittens and other winter wear.
“I think some of the biggest challenges are around social distancing when people need to come in and warm up in the warm-up location spaces,” Brown said, adding that SHIP is in talks with churches, hotels and other organizations to help supplement the usual network of warming sites.
“That's another concern of mine. We're talking about 30 and 40 (C) below (freezing) sometimes in this particular community in this province.”