You don’t have to look far in Saskatoon to see people living in tents. For those living outside, not knowing how long they’ll be allowed to stay can add to an already uncertain situation. Along 20th Street between Avenue L and M, dozens of shelters have popped up, including one belonging to Alberta Nelson. “It’s stressful. It’s been a lot. I don’t think about housing. I think more about where I’m going to go,” Nelson told CTV News. Nelson is aware of developments in Regina, where the city has provided portable toilets for those living at an encampment at Pepsi Park in the Heritage neighbourhood. “That’s all we want, is the basics. What’s wrong with that? Why do they kick us out? We have no place to go,” Nelson said. A sign near an encampment in Saskatoon’s Riversdale neighbourhood, posted by the City of Saskatoon, is asking unhoused people living in the area to vacate. Nelson says that happens about once a week. “The worst part is the stress, because I don’t know if you’re going to come here and kick us out. That is the big thing. But the best thing is we’re all connected. We’re all together, and that’s cool.” Regina officials have said they’re not planning to tear down the tents in Pepsi Park. That comes after a ‘tent city’ was ordered to be dismantled in the city about five years ago. Cassandra, who did not want to be identified, has spent parts of the last four years homeless. She says having that same courtesy provided in Saskatoon would be appreciated. “Saskatoon should do the same. Every other major city has what they call a tent city. I think they should do the same here. The shelters fill up really quick and we’ve got nowhere to go,” she said. Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block says her city has to consider the risks of a potential permanent encampment, and based on the research, it’s been found to be too dangerous. “The data is quite convincing that we should be very careful about allowing that type of way for people to live in our city, if we know it’s going to cause harm,” she explained. Block says she also understands why people are looking at Regina’s approach. “A reasonable city is also trying to look at ways to ensure people have a safe place to be. At the end of the day, what we all care about is a safe place for people to be. And what does that look like in in my city compared to somebody else’s city?” One Saskatoon locations tents are often spotted is around the Central Urban Métis Federation Inc. (CUMFI) building on Avenue M. CUMFI President Shirley Isbister understands the concerns, after the organization dealt with increased drug dealing and use in the area last summer. “You saw 70 to 100 tents all around CUMFI. We experienced a lot of violence that we never had the year before,” she said. Isbister says this year is better than last, thanks to increased supports. The organization provides showers, food and health-care or addictions help. Nelson plans to start a petition calling on the city to allow tents to stay up as a basic human right. He admits it will be difficult, but says the plan is to use resources at the library to help get started.
