Social Services deemed Saskatoon hotel unsafe months ago, CBC learns

CBC News has learned thatSocial Services deemed ahotel where some of Saskatoon's most vulnerable people have been forced outunsafe several months ago.

A Public Health probe into Saskatoon'sNorthwoodsInn & Suites began this month. Thirtypeople living at the hotel werereceiving income assistance from the Ministry of Social Services.

According to Social Services, about 20 of its clients are still residing at the hotel.

"We know that some individuals are staying in temporary shelter ... some have moved away, and some are being supported to live in a different hotel," said Jeff Redekop, Social ServicesExecutive Director ofService Delivery.

So far, the Public Health investigation has deemed21rooms at the hotelunfit to live in and closed for rental as they are "hazardous to health" and another 16 room as havingmajor problems that need to be fixed immediately.

The investigation is ongoing; more rooms still need to be inspected and could also be closed.

• Crackdown at Saskatoon motel forces vulnerable tenants out

SocialServices deemed Northwoods unsafe months ago

In an internal email sent to Social Services staffin March, the director of dervice delivery for the Central Service Area advisedworkers thatfamilies were no longer to be placed at Northwoods Inn & Suites due to health and safety concerns.

"As of today, I am directing our staff not to use the Northwoods as an alternative for housing families and their children. The directive is in effect until further notice," stated the March 6 email.

NatalieHubert,Executive Director of Child and Family Service Delivery, said between September 2014 and March 2015, one family was placed atNorthwoods.

"The living conditions, the safety, the concerns that were being raised by families," Hubert said,explainingthe need for the directive.

"We're here to help," Hubert said. "We do not want to see any family or individual in an unsafe situation."

Hubert explained the department of Social Services becomes involved in cases when there is a report of abuse or neglect or when there are concerns pertaining to poverty, addictions or housing in a family unit.

"Our commitment is to try and maintain the family together, as one unit, as much as possible," Hubert said. "As opposed to bringing childreninto care, we might have to find another living arrangement for the family."

In some situations, Child and Family Services will step in and place a family in a hotel when there are no other housing options and they need to leave their current residence.

Social Services: clients living at Northwoodsneed to check-in

Redekopsaid all Social Services clients who are living at the hotel, regardless of whether they plan to stay, should get in touch to secure living arrangements for June.

"We have the capacity to provide their shelter benefits if they choose to stay living attheNorthwoods,"Redekopsaid."It may be a situation of where we are not clear on where they are choosing to live yet, and they may need to talk to us so we can understand what their needs are."

This week, CBC News spoke with several aid agencies that are helping displaced people find new places to live after leaving the Northwoods. Many of the aid workers indicated that Social Services clients, living at the hotel, would not be issued a shelter allowance for June because of theuncertainty the investigation has brought to the rental situation at the hotel.

Redekop said it's not that simple. He saidclients shouldcheck-in with their case workers.

"So, if they haven't come in and talked to us and if we haven't been able to find them yet, we would have the question that would need to be answered: 'where are you going to live?' They would need to answer that to make sure they are getting the right benefits," he said.