Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Social Services has directed a shelter in downtown Moose Jaw to be moved out of the city’s core — to the surprise of municipal officials.
A press conference organized by the province, featuring Premier Scott Moe and Justice Minister Tim McLeod, quickly turned tense when Moose Jaw Mayor James Murdock announced he had just learned the 15-bed Willow Lodge shelter needed to be moved.
“The downtown core and district is vital to the operation of the city and for enhancing what we offer for services,” said Murdock. “The [Ministry of Social Services] feels that the best way for that to be achieved is to see that a permanent temporary shelter be relocated in an appropriate area.”
When asked where an appropriate location would be, Murdock responded that was a “very good question” while adding he’d just been informed of the decision earlier on Wednesday.
McLeod, who is the MLA for Moose Jaw North, confirmed that he and Megan Patterson, MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow, had received a number of direct requests to move the shelter out of downtown.
The Willow Lodge shelter opened in early 2024 as part of an effort by the provincial government to address the growing issue of homelessness in Saskatchewan by opening temporary shelters.
As part of the program, the province would collaborate with municipalities. The municipalities would find a location while the province would fund the spaces, according to McLeod.
“That continues,” McLeod said on Wednesday.
The Willow Lodge shelter is operated by the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan, which did not have a representative at the news conference on Wednesday. The organization has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Alex Carleton, the chair of the Moose Jaw Downtown Association, confirmed that he’d just found out about the decision to move the shelter on Wednesday.
“There’s a lot of passionate business owners that are worried about their livelihood and you know we’re trying to come up with ways to be compassionate and work with people in our community,” Carleton told media.
“We’re a tourist town and we want to make sure that we’re going in the right direction for our businesses as well.”
The premier insisted this would not reduce services and that it would actually enhance them.
Moe said the province is “unfortunately” in the shelter business due to the “poisonous drugs” in the province’s communities.
CBC News has contacted the Ministry of Social Services to clarify why the decision to move the shelter in Moose Jaw was made and whether it will be directing the location of shelters from now on.
The ministry has yet to respond.
