The City of Saskatoon has announced the cancellation of its in-person point-in-time count of individuals experiencing homelessness for the current year. Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the count was to involve approximately 250 trained volunteers tasked with assessing the homeless population in the city.
In a recent news release on Friday, the city cited safety concerns related to potential protest activities as the reason for scrapping the in-person count. The decision was made to ensure the safety of volunteers, staff, and community partners who would have participated in the count, with safety concerns being particularly heightened in recent weeks.
The cancellation decision came following a warning from the fire department about the removal of a large encampment on the west side, housing over 100 individuals. However, the removal was halted after protests from residents and their supporters. An advocate residing in the encampment, David Fineday, expressed disappointment at the decision, emphasizing the importance of standing up for their rights.
Despite efforts by advocates to obtain a court injunction to prevent the fire department from clearing part of the encampment, their plea was rejected by a judge. Lesley Anderson, the city’s director of planning and development, prioritized the safety of all involved parties in the decision-making process.
While the in-person count has been called off, the city plans to collaborate with the fire department to estimate the homeless population in various encampments across Saskatoon. Additionally, they will conduct counts on individuals in emergency shelters, transitional housing, and other support systems.
Looking ahead, the city aims to conduct a more comprehensive point-in-time count in 2027, including a full enumeration and survey. The previous count in 2025 identified 1,931 homeless individuals in Saskatoon.