TWO DAMNING REPORTS SHOW SASK. PARTY FAILING PEOPLE OF SASKATOON

Houselessness Triples as Provincial Programs Drive People onto the Street

SASKATOON – Two new reports paint a devastating picture of the Sask. Party’s failure to address growing houselessness and the housing crisis in Saskatoon.

A community-led Point-in-Time Homelessness Count identified at least 1,499 individuals experiencing houselessness in Saskatoon, nearly triple the number recorded in 2022. That translates to five houseless individuals per 1,000 residents, putting Saskatoon among the cities with the highest rates of houselessness in Canada.

A second report, released by the Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership, examined the impacts of the provincial Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) program. Based on surveys with 90 SIS recipients and front-line service providers, the report found that removing direct payments to landlords and utility providers has worsened housing insecurity and contributed to rising houselessness.

“These reports confirm what people in Saskatoon already know: the Sask. Party is failing to keep people housed and safe,” said April ChiefCalf, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Housing.

“Houselessness has exploded under the Sask. Party's watch, and they continue to defend a broken income support program that is actively making the crisis worse.”

Front-line workers have long warned that changes to SIS — especially the elimination of direct rent payments — would lead to a spike in evictions and houselessness. This week’s findings underscore the urgent need for reform.

“Instead of supporting vulnerable people, the Sask. Party is pushing them further to the margins,” said Brent Blakley, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Social Services. “They were warned this would happen, and now we’re seeing the human cost of their inaction.”

ChiefCalf and Blakley are calling for the immediate restoration of direct rent and utility payments under SIS, elimination of the provincial sales tax on groceries, and meaningful investments to re-open the province’s 3,000 vacant government housing units.

“It’s time for a government that’s focused on the future and that includes ensuring every person has a home to call their own,” ChiefCalf said.

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