Sask government cuts funding for Lighthouse stabilization shelter
The government of Saskatchewan says it can no longer afford to run The Lighthouse's stabilization unit in Saskatoon.
Officials said a funding review showed it's not worth continuing to pay to keep the unit open. They also noted only five people who sought refuge at the Lighthouse last year were able to transition to stable housing.
Citing the provincial auditor's report last December, officials in a news release today said "many individuals were receiving shelter services through multiple avenues."
Right now, individuals are asked to pay $30 per night to stay at The Lighthouse.
Emergency shelter coverage
Those who cannot afford the overnight fee must prove to the Ministry of Social Services they have nowhere else to go. If officials approve the request, a per diem for $68.50 per night is sent to the Lighthouse.
However, Lighthouse staff noted last year almost half the people who come seeking shelter were denied any coverage by the province.
Most often, that's because the province has already paid the person's rent elsewhere.
Last year, the province said it spent $1.15 million on the Lighthouse, to support 61 shelter beds per night, and officials noted the Lighthouse's billing procedures have been restructured, to avoid double-dipping.
Nowhere else to go
People who work with the homeless say the Ministry's policies do not necessarily account for people who cannot remember their address, those who are heavily intoxicated, or those who have disruptive ex-partners, roommates, or another person's children also living at the rental property,
The Lighthouse has typically absorbed the cost of shelter beds for those who cannot pay largely through donations and other sources of income.
In a news release this morning, the province noted it will continue to support people who do not have an alternate source of shelter, or shelter funding. It also said the Saskatoon Health Region will pay $620,000 this year to assist The Lighthouse in supporting people with mental health and addictions issues, a move aimed at reducing emergency room visits.
The Ministry of Social Services said it already pays for 470 emergency shelter spaces across the province, through the Lighthouse, the Salvation Army, the YWCA, and other partners.
