regina, saskatoon ink deals with federal government for millions in homelessness funding
saskatoon and regina will receive a combined $8 million to address homelessness encampments over the next two years.
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a person is seen cleaning out a tent at camp hope as the tent encampment was being dismantled at pepsi park in regina, sask. on nov. 15, 2021.
brandon harder
/
regina leader-post
regina and saskatoon have secured additional funding to tackle homelessness after working directly with the federal government on offers made this past fall.
the provincial government was not part of the agreement, said a news release from housing, infrastructure and communities canada (hicc).
“despite attempts to work out a deal that would see the federal and provincial governments work collaboratively to support the most vulnerable people in our communities, ontario and saskatchewan were not able to agree in time to deliver funding before the winter,” said the hicc statement on wednesday. “as a result, the federal government worked directly with key cities in these provinces.”
agreements have been signed with 10 cities in ontario and two in saskatchewan, providing millions of dollars to address homeless encampments.
all 12 deals total $91.5 million, sourced from the federal government’s unsheltered homelessness and encampments initiative. the funding stream, announced in 2024, was intended as a tool to co-ordinate and match funds from provincial governments in an effort to address the growing pressures of homelessness.
“these agreements are an important part of our response, but we know there is more work to be done to expedite the development of affordable, deeply affordable, and supportive housing to ensure that all canadians have a place to call home,” said nathaniel erskine-smith, canada’s minister of housing, infrastructure and communities.
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saskatoon and regina submitted applications several weeks ago after being approached directly by federal officials in october.
former federal housing minister sean fraser said his office reached out to the cities after provincial officials didn’t answer a letter from the federal government attempting to offer the funding deals.
premier scott moe said his government’s silence was because the provincial election period had been declared, which made it inappropriate to negotiate any funding deals at that juncture.
moe also hinted that the timing of the offer showed “politics at play.”
saskatoon and regina will receive a combined $8 million from the pot, to be delivered over the next two years.
regina has been granted $3.5 million, which will be used to open a new permanent emergency shelter by july in addition to expanding the regina street team and bolstering the city’s encampment response plan.
saskatoon requested $4.4 million, which will go toward developing supportive housing units, a community navigation centre and a permanent downtown emergency shelter.
“we are grateful for the federal government’s commitment of $3.5 million in funding to support people living without homes,” said regina mayor chad bachynski in a statement issued wednesday.
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“this will help us to provide necessary resources needed to address one of the most pressing issues we face supporting our vulnerable citizens and those experiencing homelessness.”
updated point-in-time counts done in both cities this fall showed the number of people living with some form of homelessness in saskatoon has tripled since 2020 and more than quadrupled in regina since 2015.
hicc said more agreements with other provinces and territories through the encampment funding stream will be announced in the coming weeks.
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