SASKATOON — In the wake of the recent deep freeze that gripped Saskatchewan communities over the weekend, much of the chatter in political circles has focused on how the government ought to respond to the need to keep people warm.
At a media availability in Saskatoon, the Opposition New Democrats accused the province of not having a plan for housing and supports during cold weather.
The NDP voiced concerns about overcrowded shelters, a lack of housing availability and fears of frostbite. Those concerns were raised by NDP housing critic April ChiefCalf and by Claire Card, a volunteer and former NDP candidate, who said she had witnessed people losing fingers and toes to frostbite.
“I have spent the weekend visiting warming centres and talking to the incredible volunteers working on the frontlines,” said ChiefCalf in a statement. “Everyone deserves a government that’s got their back, but Scott Moe and the Sask. Party are missing in action.”
In a statement, NDP government relations critic Erika Ritchie accused the Sask. Party of largely offloading responsibility for the housing crisis to municipalities without corresponding investment in supports.
“Scott Moe seems intent to ignore the crisis we see playing out on streets in Saskatoon and right across the province every day,” Ritchie said.
“It’s time for a provincial government that realizes that they hold the responsibility for getting people supports, for getting them off the streets — for saving lives.”
Minister of Social Services Terry Jenson was asked about the response in Saskatoon to the deep freeze.
Jenson noted Saskatoon city council put its cold-weather response in place around Thursday of last week. He said that last week he “had the opportunity to visit just about every shelter in Saskatoon to talk with our community-based organizations and our Indigenous partners in terms of how the shelters are operating and where some of the emerging needs are as well, some of the pressures. I was very happy to be able to do that, and connecting is something that we do regularly.”
Jenson said that when the province experiences “really, really harsh temperatures like this, there's extra concern, and we understand that. And what we've always said is if we have shelters that are completely full, that individual is not going to be turned back out onto the street. We will find an appropriate place for them.”
Jenson was also asked whether low-income housing was available to people who checked into emergency shelters.
“When we operate emergency enhanced shelters as well as warming centres, we have individuals from the [Social Services] ministry that do attend those shelters and work with those individuals that have checked themselves into those shelters and, where possible, if it's appropriate, we will connect them with housing immediately.”
What they find, however, is that there are individuals who “require additional supports and may not be entirely ready for housing at that point.” But Jenson said connecting people to housing is something the ministry is constantly trying to do.
“We will definitely work with them to secure housing in that respect,” said Jenson.
– With files from Jon Perez.
