Murray Wood: The day Canada Became a nation
April 9, 1917 was Easter Monday. On that date, 109 years ago, Canadian soldiers made history at Vimy Ridge. Murray Wood ...
Construction on a new emergency homeless shelter on 31st Street in Saskatoon is slated to begin this summer.
According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, design work is already underway to ensure the facility meets “safety and programming needs,” and the building will include features like lighting and fencing to help ensure the safety of those in the surrounding areas. The shelter comes with a price tag of roughly $6 million, with work expected to wrap up next spring.
Read more:
- Saskatoon official shares details of homeless centre relocation as residents express concerns
- La Ronge business owner opposed to homeless campground near store
- Saskatoon homeless count reveals 22 per cent are children and youths
The shelter will offer case planning services and other support to its clients, “to address wellness and cultural needs as well as assistance in connecting to services and help to transition into appropriate housing,” the ministry said.
The site – 170, 31st Street East – was already owned by the provincial government, and the ministry said the location was selected by the City of Saskatoon based on proximity to Saskatoon Transit and other support services, as well as the fact it meets all of the city’s zoning requirements for shelters.
“Working alongside our partners, we are increasing access to emergency shelter services that will aid individuals experiencing homelessness transition to stable housing or other services,” Terry Jenson, Saskatchewan’s social services minister, said in a statement.
“As Saskatoon sees more people experiencing homelessness, this project is an important step in responding to that growing need,” added Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block.
“The safety of shelter guests, as well as nearby residents and businesses, is our top priority. The City is working closely with all the partners involved to develop coordinated safety plans.”
The new shelter will be run by The Mustard Seed, the same organization that took over the former Lighthouse shelter in the city’s downtown core last year.
According to the RFP documents, the new shelter will be nearly 11,000 square feet on one level, and will consist of a 2,400-sq. ft. open sleeping area, a large dining area with a $325,000 allowance for industrial kitchen equipment, about half a dozen bathrooms, including gender neutral washrooms, a heat treatment room, laundry, security stations, meeting rooms and staff rooms. There will also be an outdoor enclosed area for clients using the facility, separate and inaccessible from the building’s entrance.
There will be fencing around the entire facility, a specialized air intake system to lower the risk of airborne illnesses including tuberculosis, and shatter-proof windows, mirrors, light fixtures, doors and walls.
The document also requires “Cleanliness and respect for the neighbourhood, including cleaning public sidewalks at all times during construction. Avoid disturbing adjacent parking areas.”
According to the City of Saskatoon’s latest Point in Time homeless count in November 2025, there are now 1,931 people experiencing homelessness in the city. That’s up by 432 from the previous count done in 2024.
–with files from 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff
