Saskatoon’s Mayor says the Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre is reporting 260 homeless people stayed overnight, sheltering from the cold which is higher than the highest count in all of last year.

Cynthia Block says the reason they can move forward on the plans for warming shelters is because a whole pile of people are working very hard but also there are individuals and organizations in the community that have stepped up.  She gave a shout out to Greg Yule and David Dube, the Saskatoon Community Foundation and the United Way all working to support people who are unhoused in the community this winter.

St. Mary’s, operated by the Salvation Army, will open as an overnight shelter for men on December 9th. The Saskatoon Indian and Metis Friendship Centre on Wall Street will then become an overnight warming location for women.

Housing supports will be offered starting December 1st at the Lighthouse but The Mustard Seed, which is the service provider for the Lighthouse and for the downtown shelter, has not set an opening date for the emergency shelter in the old STC building. The organization says the building at 210 Pacific Ave needs to be renovated before services can become available.