Potential relocation of drop-in centre expected, won’t impact taxes: Mayor

Saskatoon’s Mayor said the potential relocation of a drop-in centre was always part of the plan.

Just two months ago, a drop-in centre was opened on Avenue C. It received criticism from workers in the homelessness care sector for being very close to other providers in the area.

Mayor Cynthia Block said when the decision was made to move forward with the Avenue C location for the women’s drop-in centre, council knew it was not going to be its permanent location.

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“We knew all along that this was not the ideal place, and there was simply no other place to go,” Block said.

She explained that extensive research was done by city hall to better understand how to “find any access to an appropriate facility for this type of drop-in centre and there simply wasn’t another option.”

The decision was made to go ahead with the centre, with more than $1 million in federal funding going towards the purchase of the Avenue C property and its renovations.

Mayor Block noted that there was no impact to the city’s mill rate because that project was funded by the $4.3 million dollars from the federal government in December 2024 for Saskatoon’s Community Encampment Response Plan.

“It was an opportunity, and, quite frankly, a necessity, to go forward with a project like this because of the rules under the funding program and the time requirement to utilize the funding,” Block said.

City council decided the project would go forward until the end of March 2026, Block said, but the newly-proposed Idylwyld location came up as council was contemplating next steps.

“It looks like it has been utilized similarly in previous years and so and effectively so,” Block said. “I think that that is part of the reason that council is being asked to entertain this location, and it would be an opportunity for us to have a more permanent strategy to support people who are unhoused to have access for places to be through a drop-in centre model.”

That model is meant to be a permanent, low barrier space for people to go when they need help, open and accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Block said these centres are “a safe place for people to be,” that supports people who might need food, shelter and access to washrooms and showers.

The Idylwyld location would also not impact tax rates in Saskatoon, Block said, as the funding to purchase the $1.635 million property would come from the same federal funding. A further $325,000 for renovations would come from the city’s affordable housing reserve.

Options for current drop-in location

Council will vote on Wednesday, Feb. 25 whether the Avenue C drop-in centre will move to the location on Idylwyld. Should that vote be in favour of the move, Block said there are various options ahead for how the city might use the Avenue C location – she does not consider the money spent to be a loss of funds.

“How might we perhaps be able to support other options?” Block said. “I don’t know for sure what all of those options look like, but we know we are in need of all kinds of supports in our city to support people who are in house or people that are trying to transition.”

Block said there could be opportunities to consider those projects and arrangements with providers who wish to use the facility. It is a requirement under the federal funding the city received, she noted, that the building continue to be used for that sort of service.

The city could also sell the building, with the requirement in place that the proceeds go towards purchasing another facility in line with that federal programming to support people who are unhoused or in transition in Saskatoon.

Block said a lot will depend on service providers in the city when it comes to determining the best future option for the Avenue C location. Given the proximity of that location to the Salvation Army Crossroads Residential Services, Block commented that “it’s fair to say that those kinds of conversations would need to happen,” as well as considering the whole business district that will be impacted by what the Avenue C facility might be used for.

“It matters to me that we are consulting with them, as well, to ensure that whatever goes there has the right supports around it, with the right community safety options and ensuring that it is a workable plan for everyone to coexist as neighbours in the district,” Block said.

“I think that we are learning to approach these facilities inside districts or neighbourhoods in ways that better support the those areas,” Block continued, stating that city administration has proactively decided to connect with all businesses and organizations in the immediate vicinity of this proposal to ensure people are aware and understand what the community safety plan will look like.

Similar to what is around the Mustard Seed shelter in Saskatoon, Block said community safety would include protocol involving police and fire commissioners, as well as Indigenous peacekeepers.

Block said the program is a collaboration between the city and the province, with the city providing the land and facility for the drop-in centre to operate. The Government of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Social Services has confirmed that the Saskatoon Tribal Council will continue to operate the drop-in facility, even in the event of its relocation.