New wellness centre at capacity less than 48 hours after opening

Not even two days after opening, the new wellness centre in downtown Saskatoon is over capacity.

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand said the shelter has been at full capacity both nights since opening Wednesday at 8 p.m.

Within the first 14 hours, 36 individuals were using the building, Arcand said, noting a few more than 50 are currently using the space.

A variety of people — people of all ages, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous — have been walking through the doors in need of food and a warm place to stay and sleep. So far, the evening hours have been the busiest.

People who come to the shelter are screened for COVID-19 and have their temperature checked, then proceed to intake where they’re given the rules of the facility to sign off on.

No alcohol, drugs or smoking is allowed inside the building, but Arcand said the STC will accept people in a variety of conditions coming in, providing they agree to the building policies.

A person will then put their personal belongings into a bin marked with their name, which is safely stored for them. This process is something that has frustrated some people, to the point where they decide not to stay at the building, Arcand said, though the aim of the building is to not turn anyone away.

“We’re not going to kick people out on the street,” Arcand said. “That’s not a holistic way of doing things and that’s not the Indigenous way of doing things.”

A room for smudging at the new temporary wellness centre in downtown Saskatoon. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

He said if the need becomes too great, officials will find people space to sit socially distanced inside where it’s warm overnight, at the very least.

Once they’re checked in, individuals are able to shower, do their laundry, and eat a warm meal or make themselves some coffee. Staff are on hand to help out at various spots throughout the building and check on rooms to make sure each person’s space is secure.

The building has a room for smudging currently open as well. Further services like addictions counselling and mental health support are going expected to begin next week.

Arcand said people so far have been respectful, grateful and very polite to the nine to 12 staff members working in the building.

One incident Arcand called “unfortunate” did occur around 10 a.m. Thursday, when an individual overdosed in the building. Arcand said Narcan was administered to the person and they were taken to hospital by ambulance. A few hours later, they were released and are now back at the temporary shelter.

Arcand said he feels it’s important to be transparent about what is happening with the shelter. He also felt the incident showed the benefit of their work — a life was saved when that person might’ve instead overdosed in the cold.

So far, Arcand has said those using the building are following the rules well. They’re glad to be helping meet a need Saskatoon has, and are doing their part to keep the building and it’s space out front clean and free of garbage.

Arcand would still like to see a security presence for the downtown building, but said that will come later when more funding is figured out for the project. At present, he said the bigger priority is ensuring people are fed and have their own space.

Future funding discussions are in the works, according to Arcand. The province has offered to support the building with a $50-a-night per diem, plus $20 for lunch, but Arcand said they’ll discuss that more in the coming days as the shelter settles into its role — so far, people haven’t even been registered for that per diem opportunity.

He also doesn’t want any requirements attached to a per-diem arrangement limiting who the STC can help.

After a two-day delay to opening, Arcand said the biggest priority has been getting staff and residents settled.

“We’re not even worried about if we get funding or not. It’s not a priority to us,” Arcand said. “Our priority is to get people fed, keep them warm and try to provide them (with) some services once we get all the staffing.

“We need to get stabilized here, which I think is very important.”

The wellness centre still will need more funding to remain open beyond the 30 to 60 days of internal funding the STC can provide. But Arcand said he believes people will see the “dire need” the temporary shelter is fulfilling.

“We’re not here to make money off the homeless people, we’re here to provide a service so they’re feeling safe and we can actually help them,” he said.

For now, the goal is to get people settled into the new space and establish trust between staff and those staying at the building.

“We’re making sure this is all safe for everybody … and making sure the relatives really feel in a trustworthy environment,” he said.

Arcand is aware there has been concern voiced by downtown businesses about having the wellness centre nearby as an emergency measure. He maintained if the centre had any other available space to set up, it would’ve gladly accepted it.

“We had a plan, we went to four different areas of the city and I’ll say it again … they need to step up and be part of the solution,” Arcand said, speaking of businesses with concerns in the area.

A sign outside the room where people staying at the shelter must leave their belongings in marked bins. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)

Arcand said anyone with a concern is welcome to bring that up with him as he tries to work to support businesses in the community and the people who need extra support.

“I want people to be part of a solution,” Arcand said. “I know the community is kind of worried about what’s going on and I respect that but we’ve got to make sure that our staff are working … building that trust.”

The STC chief is grateful for the support the centre has received from the City of Saskatoon and the communication with other shelters and supports in the community in co-ordinating how to best help Saskatoon’s most vulnerable.

“We want our citizens and our people to be contributing to the city but we have to work together,” he said. “It’s not about us versus them in the business community.”