REGINA, Sask. — Regina city councillor Shanon Zachidniak and community advocates are calling on the provincial government to take further action on homelessness following the closure of the Pepsi Park encampment, saying many people displaced from the site still do not have stable housing as winter approaches.
At a Tuesday news conference at Pepsi Park, also known as Core Community Park, Zachidniak, Saskatchewan NDP MLA Meara Conway and Mandla Mthembu of the Regina Anti-Poverty Ministry called for more permanent housing, repairs to vacant Saskatchewan Housing units and greater involvement from front-line organizations.
Zachidniak said she was told provincial assistance was coming after Regina city councillors met with cabinet ministers several weeks ago. However, she said people continue to move between locations without having somewhere safe to stay.
“We cannot keep moving people from one place to another and pretend we're solving the problem,” Zachidniak said. “People need somewhere safe to go now.”
She said the city is also hearing concerns about encampments elsewhere in Regina, including one on Fifth Avenue in her ward that she said has grown significantly and is affecting nearby businesses, families and a child-care centre.
Zachidniak said the city cannot address the situation alone and outlined four requests for the province: follow through on commitments to provide accommodations for people displaced from encampments, repair vacant Saskatchewan Housing units, involve front-line workers and people with lived experience in decisions, and work with the city to pursue federal housing funding.
Conway said she believes the province knew the Pepsi Park encampment was going to be dismantled and should have had a plan in place for the people living there.
“It's now been two weeks. Where is that plan?” Conway asked.
She said people have been dispersed across Regina, with some sleeping outside and others receiving temporary hotel accommodations. Conway also said outreach workers are having a harder time locating people and connecting them with services.
“The city cannot solve this on its own,” Conway said. “The city doesn't have the resources. They don't have the jurisdiction. They don't have the power or the mandate to deal with the scale of this crisis.”
Mthembu said the closure has made it more difficult for people to access the belongings and support networks they relied on while staying at the park.
He alleged that many tents and personal belongings left behind were destroyed and taken to the landfill after the encampment was cleared. He said those items could have included identification, medication, clothing and other necessities.
“People were displaced from Pepsi Park with only the things that they had and they were able to carry,” Mthembu said.
He also questioned whether temporary accommodations have led to lasting housing outcomes, saying people he has encountered since the closure are still without homes.
Mthembu said the loss of the encampment has also meant losing a central place where people could find community connections and access supplies.
He argued that housing should not be delayed because someone is dealing with mental-health or addiction challenges.
“When you have a stable place to be, when you have a roof over your head, when people in your life know where to find you, when you have a place of an address that you can get mail at, when you want to get a job, these things, that has to come first,” he said.
Mthembu also pointed to the gap between social assistance shelter benefits and rental costs. He said single people receiving Saskatchewan Income Support receive a monthly shelter benefit of $675 in Regina and Saskatoon, while average rent in Regina is approximately $1,400.
Province says 50 people accepted support
In a statement provided to SaskToday, Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said the province worked with the City of Regina on options to respond to the encampment, including exploring a temporary navigation centre to help people transition into appropriate services.
Jenson said locations proposed by the city were not suitable because of zoning requirements and the capital upgrades that would have been needed, which he said could not be completed within the available timeframe.
He said Regina's chief of fire and protective services deemed the encampment unsafe Oct. 27 following a series of fires and directed its dismantling.
“Ministry workers were on site as the encampment was dismantled, offering immediate supports to all individuals residing there,” Jenson said.
According to the minister, approximately 50 people accepted various levels of support that day, and everyone who accepted services had a safe place to stay that night.
Jenson said the following day, the ministry established dedicated service navigation spaces at its Regina Service Centre. He said staff worked with community partners to connect people with housing and shelter assistance, addictions and wellness services, Indigenous cultural supports, identification and transportation.
The minister said the province does not release individual information because of privacy considerations.
Jenson also said Saskatchewan's 2026-27 Social Services budget includes $10.24 million for homelessness services in Regina, supporting outreach, emergency shelters, supportive housing and year-round drop-in services.
He said the province is actively engaging with the federal government on housing and homelessness funding opportunities and will continue working with Regina, Indigenous organizations and community partners.
Councillor says encampment response needs review
Zachidniak said she was not in a position to comment on the fire department's decision to dismantle the encampment, which she said was within the department's authority.
However, she said she attended the site when she learned the closure was going to happen and described the situation as traumatic for those involved.
“There was not a cohesive plan guiding the process,” Zachidniak said. “I saw a lot of frontline workers doing the best that they could in this unfolding situation.”
She said there should be lessons for everyone involved to ensure future situations are handled differently.
Mthembu said community groups are continuing to organize support for people experiencing homelessness. He pointed to a Narcan training session planned for Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. in Art Park, along with community donations of tents, warm clothing and other supplies.
The three speakers said they want the province to work with the city and community organizations on more housing options before winter conditions make the situation more dangerous for people living outside.
