REGINA — The Regina Street Team (RST) will soon have a new overseer.
On Wednesday, city council passed its role in homelessness and community well-being. This included the city approving the transfer of the RST, which since its inception as the previously known community support program in 2021, has been under the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID), to either a non-profit organization or the City of Regina.
RDBID has indicated that the work RST has undertaken is beyond its mandate.
During their deliberations, Jason Knudsen and Rob Kraushaar, two former RST directors whose contracts weren't renewed by RDBID, felt the organization would be suited for a third-party as opposed to being part of the city.
“There is a lot of mistrust in the people living rough on the streets when dealing with government institutions," said Knudsen.
Knudsen further explained that the organization under the city would create a sense of power and balance with the street team rather than being seen as peer support.
One organization that has expressed interest in partnering with the RST is Regina Mobile Crisis Service.
Mobile Crisis has proposed rebranding the RST as the Regina Outreach Program.
Dana Wilkins, executive director of Regina Mobile Crisis Service, said they want to provide resources and support to the group, instead of taking it over.
The team would continue having a safety presence downtown, while strengthening long-term case management for housing/addictions and expanding crisis intervention outreach.
Wilkins also said their current relations with the Regina Police Service, Regina Fire and EMS would benefit the peer outreach team.
Mobile Crisis outlined a budget where personnel would cost roughly $800,000 to $900,000 in the budget, which hasn’t fully finalized its exact number for operations and administration costs.
Funding as beforehand would continue to come from Regina, Saskatchewan, RDBID, grants and private sector contributions.
