Saskatoon mayor gives 1st 'State of the City' address, acknowledges growing issue of homelessness

Hannah Spray · CBC News

· Posted: May 14, 2025 6:57 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block delivered her archetypal "State of the City" code connected Wednesday.

Addressing members of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce implicit luncheon astatine TCU Place, she started disconnected by touting the city's strengths, similar its debased unemployment complaint and ongoing determination co-operation to thrust improvement successful the area.

But Block, who was elected politician successful November, also talked astir 1 of the city's biggest challenges — the increasing stateless population.

During a question-and-answer session, the chamber's CEO Jason Aebig asked Block if she was satisfied with the advancement connected homelessness truthful far. The politician said that no, she's not.

"I deliberation it would beryllium intolerable to beryllium the person of the metropolis and accidental that it's OK what we are seeing successful the streets of Saskatoon today," she said. "And it doesn't marque maine consciousness immoderate amended to cognize that different cities person it worse, oregon that each cities are facing a situation of homelessness."

Block said she is encouraged by the national government's lodging accelerator fund, calling the 757 units that tin beryllium created nether it an "enormous help." She besides said she's grateful for the province's stated committedness to helping radical entree addictions betterment supports.

"I'm besides wondering, though, what happens to the folks that aren't acceptable for that betterment yet? How are we supporting them?" she said.

Block said it's important for each levels of authorities to enactment together and spoke astir the city's homelessness enactment plan, developed by the city, Saskatoon Tribal Council, Métis Nation-Saskatchewan and the Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership.

She said the metropolis is "working urgently" with the state to make a caller drop-in centre. New affordable lodging is besides connected the way, "but lodging takes time," she said.