SPS says more connection needed with Fairhaven, Confederation communities

Saskatoon Police Service Acting Chief Dave Haye told a city council committee Wednesday that more needs to be done to connect with the Fairhaven and Confederation Suburban Centre communities.

He made those comments as a report called “Community Changes and Response to Emergency Shelters” was officially presented to councillors.

The report outlines how a variety of crimes may or may not have affected the Fairhaven and Confederation Suburban Centre areas since the opening of the Emergency Wellness Centre, along with trends the Saskatoon Fire Department is also seeing. Crime statistics from other other Saskatoon neighbourhoods are also included in the report.

“Although the Saskatoon Police Service has been connecting on a one-to-one basis with residents and business operators in these neighbourhoods, we’ve not been successful in connecting on a broad basis to groups in the community,” Haye said.

He added the SPS and SFD are both working to figure out the best way to do that.

“There are likely some community issues (that) neither police nor fire have the ability to impact, however it’s essential (that) it’s part of the conversation,” he said.

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand and Fairmont Baptist Church pastor Robert Pearce also addressed city councillors about the report and their own concerns.

“We’re the biggest city in this province and we have the biggest problem for homelessness and addictions, and mental health. And dividing and conquering is not going to solve that issue,” said Arcand, who also reiterated that the STC had signed another year-long agreement for services at the Emergency Wellness Centre with the provincial government.

“For full transparency to our community, we have an agreement from the Province of Saskatchewan to fund our EWC for another year of $4.2 million. Is there some stipulations in there? Absolutely, but we’re working with our partners,” Arcand added.

A statement from the Ministry of Social Services previously indicated the agreement with the STC for operating and leasing the EWC was until June 30 and on a “month-to-month basis.”

650 CKOM has reached out to the ministry for further comment.

“I do not get funded for outside of our facility to patrol the community and all that other stuff. That’s why we rely on the police service to do that kind of stuff,” Arcand said.

He also emphasized that two recent incidents including a stabbing and a school lockdown had nothing to do with the EWC.

“There’s fearmongering going on,” he said.

Fairmont Baptist Church pastor Robert Pearce and STC Chief Mark Arcand address city councillors on Wednesday. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)

Speaking after Arcand, Pearce told councillors Fairhaven residents — including Pearce himself — had become weary of reporting the number of crimes and incidents to police since the opening of the EWC in December of 2022.

“Despite many incidents that have happened to me since the shelter opened, I don’t report most of them, because reporting the incident where I manage to stop something from happening — whether it be a crime or what have you — is going to take more of my time to do so. And in the end, we’ve come to learn that nothing will happen with it,” Pearce said, adding he had a long list of things from citizens concerned with issues reporting crimes, and how it’s become “a waste of time to do so.”

Pearce said he knew there needed to be better shelter solutions, including services for those with complex needs, but council also needed to consider whether crime in the Fairhaven area was acceptable.

“Much of the crime in Fairhaven is being experience(d) because the needs of the homeless cannot be met in this current shelter,” he said. “As a community, after so many broken promises and being neglected, our collective good will is completely gone. And the resounding position from residents of this community is this shelter must go.”

SPS and councillor response

Haye said his goal was not to go into the Fairhaven community and “tell” them things, but to listen.

“But we need to make sure that we debunk myths that are out in the community,” he said.

He suggested that if the community takes the lead on local consultations, the SPS would be open to that.

“If the Fairhaven Community Association, or if there’s a group of business people in the Confederation Suburban Centre who’d like to get together with us, we’ll come and listen,” he said.

But Haye also emphasized that if residents did see crimes in progress, felt unsafe or had other issues, it was imperative to contact them.

“We rely on the community to engage with us so we can provide the services that they need,” he said.

Ward 3 Coun. David Kirton also weighed in on the comments from both Arcand and Pearce.

“Do not think for a second that the neighbourhood of Fairhaven and the neighbourhood of Confederation Suburban Centre has not changed. Not for a second. There is a real fear in the neighbourhoods, and I think in many cases it’s a valid fear,” he said.

Kirton told councillors that the addition of more officers and Alternate Response Officers might help in the future, but citizens in those areas should report crimes or concerning incidents as they occur.

“If you are not calling police on a crime, I do not believe you are being a responsible citizen,” he said.

Kirton also questioned the movement to shut down the EWC, and a podcast that he said promoted inaccurate information.

“This misinformation is poisoning, poisoning the people within our neighbourhoods, and shame on you for spreading that kind of misinformation,” he said sternly.

Councillors voted unanimously to accept the crime report as information.