Downtown wellness centre extension unanimously approved by council

A wellness centre and shelter in downtown Saskatoon has the green light to remain at its current location until April of next year.

The centre, located at 145 2nd Avenue North and run by the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC), opened in December of 2021 with a six-month lease as a temporary shelter for those who didn’t have a place to get out of the winter cold, and to  prevent those who were homeless from establishing a tent city.

It started off with 50 beds, but soon expanded to 75 with an additional area for families. The shelter offers a variety of other services including help for addictions and mental health.

In early May, STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand said keeping the wellness centre open was imperative while the search continues for a permanent space.

“We’re hoping we can get there,” Arcand said. “There is an investor who is talking about leasing us the space when it gets built. But they’re building it to our specifications if they can purchase it. We’re allowing that process to happen.”

Arcand said the demand at the current location is so high that staff are turning people away daily.

“Each night, if you drive by there, you’re probably seeing 12 to 20 people sitting outside in blankets wanting to get in. We just don’t have the space,” he said.

During a special council meeting Wednesday, city administration recommended council approve the lease extension, which would cost the city $224,700 in addition to the $175,100 already incurred, for a total of $399,800. The motion carried unanimously.

During his State of the City address Wednesday, Mayor Charlie Clark said negotiations are continuing on a permanent location, but there are some “complexities.”

“They need to make sure they have the capital that’s required to do it, and to have the business plan. All of those pieces in  place. I know they are working very, very hard on that,” Clark said.’

Clark said it’s in everybody’s interest that the move be facilitated quickly, because the current space was not designed to be a wellness centre.

The City received several letters of opposition and letters expressing concern, including one from Downtown Saskatoon Business Improvement District Executive Director Brent Penner.

“Downtown BID would once again like to point out that there are considerable issues with negative activity and behaviours that occur outside this facility and have proven extremely challenging for neighbouring businesses, employees, customers, residents, and the public,” wrote Penner

Penner requested action, including regular cleaning of the area around the wellness centre and police or security enforcement when laws or bylaws are broken.

Clark said the goal was always to have a temporary facility, but to close it now would invite bigger challenges to the downtown area.

“We know there are impacts on neighbouring business. Our fire chief, our police service (and) the tribal council staff have been working to address some of those impacts,” he said. “There’s no simple answer to this.”

Tribal Chief Mark Arcand will share more details on the lease extension and future plans at a news conference on Thursday.