Packed shelters, systemic barriers: Homelessness continues to rise in Saskatoon

Homelessness is on the rise in Saskatoon, as inflation and rising costs of living push already vulnerable populations further into poverty.

On Jan. 27, CBC rode along with the Saskatoon Fire Department's Assistant Chief Yvonne Raymer as she checked in on people who were outdoors around the city. The mercury lingered between –20 C and –25 C on that day, with the wind chill making it feel as cold as –31.

"Fifty-six of our 66 neighbourhoods have unhoused individuals we have interacted with. It's across the city," Raymer said.

She said the fire department uses a "proactive approach," regularly checking in with the inadequately housed to learn their reasons for not being in a shelter or permanent housing. Raymer said her officers had around 600 such interactions in December alone.

Some people refuse to go to shelters, she said.

"There are multitudes of reasons, but often it is that they are so deep into their addictions, the thought of going to shelters where they can't use [drugs], is daunting," Raymer said.

The Saskatchewan Coroners Service reported 55 deaths from suspected overdoses last month — six more people than in January 2022, according to the justice ministry.

Other barriers people often face include anxiety and mental health issues, Raymer said. Lost identification is another common problem.

"Another barrier we have identified is the concentration of government services downtown," she said. "I hear them say that they don't want to go downtown among people in business suits, and that they'll get judged or feel embarrassed."

On top of assessing wellness, Raymer said the fire department's in-person check-ins help prevent fires, such as the one in 2021 that started when an unhoused person used a barbecue for warmth. No one was injured, but a garage was destroyed.

Raymer said these fires can occur when someone is in a house with no utilities hooked up and uses fire to try to warm up.

As night fell, the shelters Raymer showed CBC developed lineups, with many people waiting outside in the brisk air for seats to become available. Some shelters had people nearby pushing their belongings in carts.

Raymer and her team did a lap around St. Paul's Hospital. She said unsheltered people often try to warm up in areas such as the hospital loading dock and the rear service entrance.

A woman clad in a light blue jacket with no gloves sat under a steam exhaust along the icy pavement of the hospital, multiple bags surrounding her. The fire crew offered her help, but she told them she would couch-surf.