A man walks down the University Bridge, wrapped in a blanket, after spending the night in a bush by the river. Photo taken in Saskatoon, Sask. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024.Photo by Michelle Berg/Saskatoon StarPhoenix

'We need immediate assistance': STC Chief Mark Arcand calls for more homeless resources

“We need immediate assistance, as soon as possible, because there’s a crisis in Saskatoon,” Arcand said on Friday.

by · Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief Mark Arcand is calling for an immediate response from several levels of government amid a dramatic spike in the number of people without permanent shelter in the city.

The 2024 point-in-time homeless count found 1,499 homeless people in Saskatoon in October, which is almost three times higher than when the last count was done in 2022. That count identified 550 people facing homelessness, including 26 children and 84 youth.