City officials gathered on Tuesday, May 27th, to share the results of the 2024 Point in Time (PiT) report. The report revealed that nearly 1,500 individuals are facing homelessness in Saskatoon, including 315 children.
Key Findings
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Indigenous Population: Indigenous peoples make up less than 12% of Saskatoon’s population but represent over 80% of the homeless population. Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand emphasized the community’s responsibility to help those in need:
"We have an obligation to help people; it doesn’t matter where they are from. That is all of our responsibility."
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Mental Health and Addiction: The report highlighted significant challenges faced by respondents:
- Approximately 75% stated they had a substance issue.
- About 66% reported mental health struggles.
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Emergency Shelter Usage: Despite an increase in people living on the streets across Canada, emergency shelter usage decreased by almost eight times since last year’s count, down by about one-third compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Causes of Homelessness
Participants cited the following as top reasons for homelessness:
- Eviction
- Insufficient income
Opposition Leader David Marit linked these issues to provincial government cuts that resulted in fewer repairs within Saskatchewan Housing Corporation Units, leading to around 3,000 units currently sitting empty.
Access to Services
The PiT report also found a significant decrease in Indigenous peoples accessing services at shelters or outreach programs compared to non-Indigenous peoples, who accessed these services at rates similar to or higher than previous counts.
Mayor’s Remarks
Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark acknowledged the progress made since last year’s count, which recorded over 2,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in the city. However, he noted:
“There is still much work ahead” as many residents continue to live without stable housing options this spring season.
During his opening remarks, Clark celebrated some positive trends from the Point in Time Count results before handing over presentation duties to City Manager Jeff Jorgenson, who presented findings alongside other officials, including Deputy Chief Troy Cooper from the police department and several members from local organizations, such as Salvation Army Major Robert Anderson.
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