Social services ministry unable to speak to Lighthouse issues in Saskatoon

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Social Services won’t be involving itself in recent events at The Lighthouse shelter and assisted living facility in Saskatoon.

According to a statement from Jeff Redekop, the ministry’s executive director of income assistance delivery, Social Services is in conversations with staff at The Lighthouse to make sure services for clients aren’t disrupted.

However, he adds the organization is “autonomous” and the ministry can’t speak to what it’s calling “human resources” issues.

In early January, the Lighthouse was hit with thousands of dollars in fines by the Saskatoon Fire Department after dozens of fire code violations were found.

Then, two weeks ago, the board of directors took over management of the building.

On Tuesday, several directors and managers were abruptly fired. According to now-deleted tweets, some people were escorted out of the building by security guards while others got their termination notices at home.

The Ministry of Social Services says between 2020 and 2021, Lighthouse Supported Living received $1.013 million through Income Assistance for its emergency shelter and $297,000 through Community Living Service Delivery for a Supported Independent Living Program for people with intellectual disabilities.

The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation also provided $232,000 in capital funding through the Rental Development Program to develop 10 housing units.