“Encampments are removed because they begin to become unsafe for both the residents living in them and the schools, services, businesses and neighbourhoods around them.” That from Deputy Fire Chief Yvonne Raymer as the removal of an encampment at 20th Street and Avenue K South got underway Thursday morning.

The City of Saskatoon says the removal involves a coordinated support of several community-based, Indigenous and provincial government organizations.

Raymer says since midnight October 5th, they’ve been called to four fires at encampments where one destroyed a tent and spread to nearby trees in Optimist Park, another – six hours later – spread to bush and trees in the same park. She says another in the backyard of a vacant property destroyed a makeshift shelter and damaged a fence while one Wednesday night got out of control in a park off Idylwyld Drive.

City officials say ‘tent cities’ are not a solution and that encampment sites can present significant fire, sanitation and public safety risks. Other activities observed and documented at and very near the site include possible gang activity, suspected domestic violence, assaults and open drug use.

Tribal Chief of the Saskatoon Tribal Council says encampments are too dangerous and he does not support them. Mark Arcand said, “At the Avenue K site, there’s too much violence and gang activity, including drugs and sex trafficking happening there, and it is spilling out onto our other programs.”

Organizations working to provide assistance to those in the encampments, besides the Saskatoon Fire and Police departments, include Saskatoon Tribal Council, Central Urban Metis Federation, Salvation Army caseworks and case workers with Ministry of Social Services.