The Saskatchewan NDP is calling for a provincial government plan to assist low-income and vulnerable people, including providing safe housing for people accessing shelters.
Opposition leader Ryan Meili would like to see immediate shelter for those in need and funding for community-based organizations to provide emergency support services among other initiatives.
He said they are happy on the change of position by the government to stop evictions at this time, but action is now required for those already suffering.
“We’ve reached out to the minister of social services and have written to him on the shelter capacity issue, along with call centres, without getting any clear answer or action,” said Meili.
“We are calling once again for the government to step up.”
Meili points to what other provincial governments have established for supports like Alberta where $60 million in one-time emergency funding has been provided to civil society organizations, adult homeless shelters and women’s emergency.
“For the health of those who are more vulnerable and for all of our health, we absolutely need to see Saskatchewan stepping up and support those in need. We know that people are already struggling and that the support has been harder to get.”
Meili said despite bringing this up in the legislature multiple occasions, he hasn’t seen anything from the government to assist people in vulnerable situations.
