Article content

You’d think Saskatoon’s Fairhaven neighborhood represented one of the city’s largest and most voter-rich districts, given the attention it’s garnering in the mayoral and council races.

But according to the most recent figures from city hall, only 5,542 people live in the western neighborhood west of Circle Drive, a small portion of Saskatoon’s more than 300,000 residents. And voter turnout in the district lags behind the rest of the city.

Article content

In 2020, turnout dropped in Saskatoon to 27 percent of eligible voters, but in Fairhaven, less than 20 percent showed up. In 2016, more than 40 percent voted citywide, double Fairhaven’s 21 percent.

The province’s decision to bring a homeless shelter – the wellness center run by the Saskatoon Tribal Council with provincial funding – to Fairhaven could motivate neighborhood residents to visit this year.

The neighborhood is located in the Saskatoon Fairview riding, where the NDP’s Vicki Mowat retained her seat in the recent provincial election.

But public safety concerns caused by the provincial shelter could increase turnout in Wednesday’s municipal elections. As in 2020, Ward 3, neighboring where the shelter is located, is vacant, so a new municipal councilor will be elected.

Mike SanMiguelwho ran unsuccessfully twice in this riding, losing both times to Ann Iwanchuk, faces Robert Pearce and Devyn Gregoire. Pearce, the pastor of Fairmont Baptist Church near the shelter, became the a fierce opponent from the refuge, which seems strange for a Christian.

Article content

Article content

There is a strong moral argument to be made on behalf of the people of Fairhaven. More consultation should have taken place before the shelter opened – but this is a provincial facility in a provincial building, so the Saskatchewan Party government should have led this consultation.

However, Pearce wants to resolve this provincial problem and obtain a position as municipal councilor with a salary of $76,000 per year. And the geographic part in which the shelter is located was moved to Ward 2 after boundary adjustments.

However, Fairhaven remains just one of five residential neighborhoods in Ward 3. The push to close the shelter should make residents of those other neighborhoods wonder whether it could mean that a similar, though almost certainly smaller, facility could be located near them. .

And all residents and voters in dozens of neighborhoods across the city should be asking themselves the same question.

This makes it particularly perplexing for mayoral candidates to wade into this debate, but they all have.

Former provincial Minister Gord Wyant promised he would file a motion to move the shelter if elected. But without a place to move the existing shelter’s 106 beds, that commitment rings as empty as the old Sutherland fire station that was supposed to house a shelter before school started.The residents objected.

Article content

Inevitably, closing a shelter in one location means the problems move elsewhere in the city, ideally on a smaller scale.

In an interview last month, Wyant acknowledged that finding a new location would not be “an easy task.”

Companion Cary Tarasoff, candidate for mayor attempted to link Wyant to the decision to locate the shelter in Fairhaven, citing documents he obtained suggesting Wyant may have attended meetings as justice minister. Wyant said he had “no recollection” of attending such a meeting.

Tarasoff has drawn attention to problems with the Fairhaven facility since its opening.

Outgoing advisor and Cynthia Block, mayoral candidate believes the size of the Fairhaven shelter is the problem and smaller locations are the solution.

But we have just seen how difficult it is to find a much smaller shelter, given the rejection of a proposed 30-bed shelter in the Sutherland area and ongoing concern over a small refuge in the city center.

Former Mayor Don Atchisonmeanwhile, is promoting 3D printed trailers to help alleviate homelessnessbut the question of location only adds to the problems with this idea, including the fact that no prototype has yet been built.

Article content

Four years ago, all the mayoral candidates agreed on a a solution was needed for the downtown lighthouse facilities. This solution only came about because the province withdrew its funding.

Today, on the heels of a provincial election in which neither major party spent much time discuss homelessness or a new vision for shelters, voters will vote for Saskatoon city council.

Shelter solutions will remain elusive, no matter who wins.

Phil Tank is the digital opinion editor of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix.

ptank@postmedia.com

twitter.com/thinktankSK

Our websites are your destination for the latest Saskatchewan news, so be sure to bookmark them. thestarphoenix.com And leaderpost.com. For Regina Leader-Post newsletters, click here; For Saskatoon StarPhoenix newsletters, click here

Article content