Politics 'part of this problem,' STC chief says in response to Saskatoon mayoral candidates' shelter plans

The head of the Saskatoon Tribal Councilsays politics won't help those who are homeless in the city.

That's STC Tribal Chief MarkArcand's message for Saskatoon mayoral candidates who are making the tribal council's Wellness Centre a central issue in November's civic election.

CBC spoke with the fourcandidates for mayor about theirideas for the tribal council's emergency shelter in the Fairhaven neighbourhood and the city's homelessness crisis.

On Friday, Arcand responded to those ideas.

"There's no proper investments or real investments to make change, and politics is part of this problem," Arcand said in an interview with CBC News.

"I think people need to be inside the fire, which we are as a service provider. And if you're not, stay out of it and just do your own thing, because you're not helping the situation.Everybody's got a solution for homelessness, but they never did anything about it."

Watch |Chief MarkArcand gives his thoughts on the future of Saskatoon's emergency shelter:

Saskatoon Tribal Council chief says Saskatoon needs 'proper facility' for homeless people

5 days ago

Duration 1:26

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand says the city's emergency shelter, which the tribal council runs, needs funding to provide more services for those experiencing homelessness. However, he is open to the shelter moving, which is an idea that's been put forward by mayoral candidate Gord Wyant.

Arcandsaid he'snot opposed to moving the wellness centre. He said he recently met with mayoral candidate Gord Wyant, who wants to move the centreandimprove its services.

"When he asked me about relocating the facility, I said absolutely. However, it's got to be a proper facility," Arcand said.

"No more of these shortfalls. Because right now, we don't have a proper commercial kitchen or a proper shower and tub for people. We're not getting investments from the province to actually help people."

Mayoral candidate Don Atchison said he doesn't think shelters should exist at all, but Arcand thinks that's unrealistic.

"For Don Atchison to say it's got tobe shut down completely, he's never talked to me," Arcand said. "So that's pretty disrespectful to make those comments when he's never been in the trenches of homelessness.... I don't support Don Atchison."

Industrial area better: Wyant

Arcand offered a unique solution to the controversy over shelter locations: put one in every neighbourhood.

"There are 10neighbourhoods, so maybe we look at a 30-bed facility in each neighbourhood. But they have to be funded properly and they have to be staffed properly, and they ought to come with police services."

The STC's Wellness Centre openedin December2022 andhas been at the centre of ongoing controversy over how shelters are managed in the city.

WATCH| Here's what Saskatoon's mayoral candidates want to do about emergency shelters:

Here's what Saskatoon's mayoral candidates want to do about emergency shelters

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Duration 2:08

Mayoral candidates in Saskatoon are already clashing when it comes to safe streets and emergency shelters. Here's what they each had to say.

Wyant saidif he is elected as mayor, the city's first task will be relocatingthe shelter away from residential areas.He said the Fairhaven shelter lacks the proper services.

"We really think that there needs to be a location for the shelter that's close to services and yet doesn't negatively impact residential areas," Wyant said.

"We have industrial areas in Saskatoon and a lot of people have suggested that perhaps an industrial location in Saskatoon is more appropriate for a shelter."

Wyantsaid despite the growing population, thecity has "the lowest number of police officers per 100,000 in the country," andhe would increase police presence around shelters.

'Why do we have to make this a mayoral issue?':Block

Mayoral candidate Cynthia Block said Wyant, a former MLA, should know that the contract at Fairhaven shelter is made by the provincial government and beyond the municipal government's jurisdiction.

"He has the power to change it right now. And why not get to work now?" Block said. "Why do we have to make this a mayoral issue? He literally is a sitting member of the Sask. Party."

Block said there is no simple fix, but it's clear there isan urgent need for easily accessible mental health and addictions social services.

"Every jurisdiction understands that you must place sheltering of people who are unhoused in areas where there's transit and where they have access to social services. SoI don't know how we do that in the North Industrial area."

Block wants the mayor's task force onhomelessness to get involved.

"A more resident-focused task force will help us to include residents and experts so that we're all utilizing the same information and strategizing together," she said.

'Don't need to have homeless shelters in Saskatoon': Atchison

Atchison, a former mayor of Saskatoon, said shelter relocation is not a solution.

"We need to close it down and we don't need to have homeless shelters in Saskatoon," he said. "We need recovery centres."

Atchisonsaid he has aunique approach for solving homelessness, but he declined to share his alternatives because other candidates might copy him.

"Homeless shelters shouldn't be anywhere in Saskatoon. They shouldn't be in any neighbourhood. They shouldn't be industrial areas at all."

Atchison said his "leading edge" solutions have not been replicated in many other communities.

He said city council should focus on affordable housing.

"We need to be able to have non-government organizations, faith-based groups again involved," Atchison said.

Purpose-built modular sheltercan work: Tarasoff

Mayoral candidate Cary Tarasoff agrees that sheltersshouldn't be in residential areas.

"We're wasting an awful lot of money to do things that are getting people killed in residential areas and causing a lot of mayhem."

Tarasoff suggested the city use a purpose-built modular shelter system in the city's north end that can be adapted as demand rises or falls.

"[Then] we don't buy a building that isn't made for this, spend a huge amount of money to renovate only to find out it's still the wrong building in the wrong location. We keep doing the same thing over and over again," he said.

An important component isbringingsocial services to the new location, he added.

Elections for urban municipalities in Saskatchewan are scheduled for Nov. 13, 2024.