Cold weather challenges Saskatoon shelters

With temperatures dipping to potentially deadly lows, agencies that help Saskatoon’s homeless are working to make sure no one is left in the cold.

Director of residential services Marc Cheriyan said the Saskatoon Salvation Army was running near capacity, with about 60 people to look after.

“(The cold) is keeping our beds quite full. We have five or six guys presently in overflow,” he said.

Saskatoon saw a cold weather record from 1907 fall Wednesday morning. Cheriyan said these are the types of conditions that lead to concerns for staff, as well the city’s tight-knit homeless community.

“There’s a strong culture of the guys that live on the streets that have relationships with each other and they worry about each other, so there’s always those concerns as well.”

The city’s cold weather alert strategy was triggered earlier this week.  The initiative provides some extra funding and allows shelters to ease certain restrictions – such as sobriety requirements – in order to allow as many people as possible to find a warm place to spend the night.

The #yxe cold weather alert strategy has been activated. Please share these warm-up locations and check in on your vulnerable family, friends and neighbours #StaySafe #StayWarm @cityofsaskatoon pic.twitter.com/utQgQzz0O3

— Saskatoon EMO (@StoonEOC) February 1, 2019

With needs running high, Cheriyan said the Salvation Army could use donations of warm clothing and men’s toiletries.