Hundreds of social housing units sit vacant across Saskatchewan
Advocates in Regina call for the city to adopt new policy on encampments
Saskatchewan's Opposition NDP held simultaneous media conferences in Regina and Saskatoon on Wednesday to reapply pressure on the province to address the ongoing homelessness crisis.
In Regina, NDP social services critic Brent Blakley accused the province of mishandling the crisis despite thousands of vacant social housing units across Saskatchewan.
The Opposition said it obtained data for 2024 through a Freedom of Information request made to the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation. It shows there were approximately 17,200 social housing and affordable housing units in the province and approximately 12.5 per cent were vacant.
Blakley said it's all too common to see people sleeping in the streets, some of whom are battling addictions and struggling with food insecurity.
"The Sask. Party has taken us backwards with harmful and thoughtless changes to critical income support programs and zero plans for housing. In fact, they aren't even using the public housing that they have available," he told reporters in front of the Legislative Building on Wednesday.
Blakley said the government needs to focus on getting people a roof over their heads, food on the kitchen table and access to supports to ensure they can live their lives with "dignity."
The NDP said there are nearly 200 units vacant in Saskatoon and more than 400 in Regina. It also said homelessness is on the rise in both urban centres.
"These homes have the potential to save lives, to get people off the streets, to set them up with supports, to get their life back on track and much more," Blakley said.
He said there are some communities across the province where more than half of publicly owned houses are vacant.
"We know these public housing units are vacant for two reasons — failure to maintain them and make them suitable for people to live in, or a complete lack of planning and foresight by the Sask. Party to address this houselessness crisis," Blakley said.
The NDP MLA called on the province to repair units that need it. He also said Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) payments and housing benefits are not nearly enough to address the crisis.
"People are not getting the benefits they need and they're having to make decisions whether they pay rent this month or whether they feed themselves, he said.
"The SIS payments this year went up a whopping two per cent, which is $30 a month per person. And I don't know if you've been out shopping, but $30 doesn't buy much."
According to an NDP release Wednesday morning, Saskatchewan is the only province to see an increase in rent prices this month. The average price of rent has decreased by 2.9 per cent in Canada.
In a statement to the CBC Wednesday afternoon, the Government of Saskatchewan said that through continued investments, it is making progress to ensure all residents have access to stable and affordable housing.
The province said that since 2021, it has seen a 30 per cent decrease in the number of vacant units.
Regina activists call for new policy on encampments
Shortly after the NDP news conference in, advocates in front of Regina city hall to call on the city to adopt a new policy on encampments. They also want the city to put pressure on the province to get people into social housing units that are currently sitting empty.
The concerned citizens said they want the city to listen to people who have experienced homelessness when designing its protocols.
Activists also called on the city to commit to not removing encampments on municipal property unless people staying there can be provided with permanent housing. They also want more support for encampments, including potable water and bathrooms, and for the city to allow people to remain in a park past 11 p.m. CST.
Mandla Mthembu, a community activist, said the city is not moving fast enough to help its vulnerable population in the summer months.
"It's July, it's a heat dome. If the city was to make a decision today, it would be too little too late. But it doesn't mean we can't still push for it," he said.
Mthembu has been a regular volunteer in the city, working to help people who live on the streets, including at the large encampment at Regina city hall in July 2023.
He said he is often asked by people in the community what advocates like himself are doing in the fight and what the plan is for people living in encampments.
"No one has an answer beyond if you stay on property that's private, you get kicked off. If you stay at public parks and you break a bylaw, you'll get kicked off. Like, that is not a strategy."
In a statement to the CBC, the City of Regina said it acknowledges and shares in the concern raised.
"The challenges posed by houseless encampments continue to grow, not just in Regina, but in municipalities across North America. Efforts to develop and improve supportive responses and approaches are ongoing," the city said.
It said the municipality's current practice is designed to balance the needs of all stakeholders, from encampment residents to the broader community.
"This approach prioritizes the dignity, safety and well-being of all individuals experiencing houselessness, while maintaining public safety."
The city said it is not a direct service provider, but does play a crucial role in co-ordinating with various agencies and service providers to manage and respond to encampments.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Katie Swyers