Concerns raised about how to help the most vulnerable in Sask. during pandemic

Organizations in Saskatchewan are concerned over what some of the province’s most vulnerable residents will do during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Jason Mercredi, the executive director of AIDS Saskatoon, said there needs to be a long-term plan for how to deal with those on income assistance and who are homeless.

“We’re quite worried about COVID entering the homeless population and when it does, it’s going to spread like wildfire because we don’t have systems in place or screening in place to deal with that as it comes up,” Mercredi said. “And we keep getting told, ‘Things are in the works, things are in the works.’ ”

Mercredi is looking for answers around screening for COVID-19 because public health officials are advising people to use the online self-assessment tool and call the province’s health line for a referral.

He says access to phones and computers aren’t guarantees for those who are homeless.

The same problem exists for those who are looking to get onto income assistance.

The government’s website says people can apply for assistance online, by phone, or through an office, but asks people to only come in when it’s an emergency to meet physical distancing requirements.

“That means that people have to contact them by phone or by the Internet,” Mercredi said. “Normally where people would access that is through the libraries, but there are no public computers anymore because every place is closed down due to COVID and there are no public phones for people to access because every place is closed down because of COVID.”

Mercredi said there hasn’t been a clear directive from the Ministry of Social Services as to what the long-term process is to assist the homeless, either with testing or with getting them some sort of financial help.

The Ministry of Social Services said in a statement it has lessened some of the reporting requirements for income assistance clients so if they are late providing information, they won’t lose their benefits.

It also said it’s looking at strategies for how to provide long and short-term housing for people during the outbreak.

— With files from The Canadian Press