The Saskatchewan NDP are sounding the alarm over two recent reports they say confirm the Sask. Party government is not helping the province’s homelessness and housing crisis in Saskatoon.

The first report puts Saskatoon amongst cities with the highest rates of homelessness in Canada, after a community-led Point-in-Time Homelessness Count identified almost 1500 people who are experiencing homelessness, which is triple the amount from 2022. This means that for every 1000 Saskatoon residents, five people are unhoused.

The second report was released by the Saskatoon Poverty Reduction Partnership, who looked at the impacts of the provincial Saskatchewan Income Support (SIS) Program. Ninety SIS recipients and front-line service providers were surveyed, and found removing direct payments to landlords and utility providers has made housing insecurity worse, contributing to rising houselessness.

Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister April ChiefCalf says the report clearly states that eviction is one of the primary contributing factors to homelessness, and on April 9th the Minister of Social Services outright denied that paying rent was a factor in the homelessness crisis.

ChiefCalf said there are 3000 government housing units available that could increase the housing stock, but due to a decrease in funding for maintenance and repair over a period of a decade, they continue to remain vacant.

The Saskatchewan NDP are calling on the Sask. Party government to stop ignoring the warnings and the data.