FIVE THINGS ABOUT THE 2022 HOMELESSNESS COUNT

Saskatoon's 2022 homelessness count found a record 550 people living on the street. Advocates say it's likely just a fraction of the actual number of homeless people. Zac Vescera shares five things to know about the count, and what homeless residents of Saskatoon had to say. 1.

The role of residential schools Saskatoon is the only city in Canada where surveyors asked homeless people if they were affected by the residential school system.

More than half of the 105 people who answered that question said yes.

Priscilla Johnstone, executive director of the Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership, said she was not surprised.

2

Identification matters

For most people, having ID is a given. For the homeless, it's a constant challenge, especially when cards are lost or stolen.

Nearly half of respondents to the 2022 homelessness count said having a place to get ID would help them find housing.

3

Library users

When asked what service they use the most, homeless respondents didn't say a shelter, a clinic, or the food bank. Instead, it was the library.

A total of 73.1 per cent of respondents said they had used a public library in the past year, more than any other single service.

Johnstone said public libraries are vital hubs for homeless people who need to use the internet, fill out an application or even just warm up and use the washroom.

“There really isn't a lot of barriers in regards to individuals accessing the library. There's no money involved in accessing those services,” Johnstone said.

4

Few accessing detox

Asked if they had a substance use issue, a staggering 86 per cent of 108 total respondents said yes. But only about 23 per cent reported accessing a detoxification service in the last year, suggesting many are not using or cannot use those services.

Numerous reports have detailed issues of long waits for such facilities, and the number of beds in the province was reduced significantly during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

5

Chronically homeless

Of the people who are homeless, about half are considered “chronically homeless,” meaning they have not had a place of their own for six of the past 12 months.