Roger Parenteau of Sask Housing, was asked to answer questions regarding a homeless shelter in Prince Albert. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Homeless shelter discussion

City re-groups for temporary shelter location

Apr 22, 2025 | 7:38 PM

At a special council meeting on Tuesday evening, about 30 interested members of local sports groups, residents and the Exhibition Association listened closely as councillors talked about the idea of turning the Dave Steuart Arena into a temporary homeless shelter.

Mayor Bill Powalinsky admitted afterward the situation has become a little chaotic as the city faces multiple decisions that have all become intertwined very recently; two involve homeless shelters and the other is the future use of the aged Steuart Arena. The most immediate concern is the shelter.

“First off, the current provider (YWCA) said that they would not operate beyond May 15th in the current facility and that caused council and administration to quickly cast about saying, OK, where do we go for the next year and a half, two years? We still made it a temporary shelter… in the meantime, from what I understand, talking to Sask Housing is that there’s no contract in place at the moment, and Sask. Housing is looking for a new provider,” he said.

The YWCA has operated the temporary Stepping Stones Shelter under the grandstand on the Exhibition Association’s grounds for the last four years. They have now given notice that they will no longer do so after May 15 and will instead focus on their current services at the YWCA Our House shelter for women and children.

Proponents of the permanent shelter have become frustrated with four years of searching for a location and no decision made yet.

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Simultaneously, the future of the Steuart Arena, which needs a new roof, was subject to a request from the city for expressions of interest (EOI) from local organizations as to alternative uses. During Tuesday’s meeting, the Prince Albert Minor Hockey Association and representatives from the local lacrosse community expressed their opposition to turning the Steuart arena into anything other than it’s current use as a sports facility.

However, council ended up cancelling their call for EOIs days before the deadline, saying some unclarity in the process has made it possibly unfair.

They also had an application from the Sask. Housing to use the arena as a temporary shelter for around two years, pending the construction of a permanent facility.

Things changed again when Shaun Harris, president of the Prince Albert Exhibition Association, said in a verbal presentation to council that his organization is unanimously opposed to having the arena as a shelter because, unlike the current situation, they don’t own the building and will have no say in how it affects their grounds.

“We are 100 per cent unified in our opposition to this application,” he said. The Steuart Arena is connected to the Exhibition Centre’s grounds.

Harris then mentioned that their 20-year lease with the city gives them a voice when it comes to changed usage of the property and suggested the matter could end up in front of an arbitrator if the city goes ahead with a shelter.

“It is our feeling that the city has not operated in good faith,” he said.

He said that he and another representative of the association had met with Sask Housing Tuesday morning and offered to extend the temporary shelter lease for up to six months.

Harris’ comments led councillors to replace a recommended motion from staff to proceed with the shelter and ask for an update on the status of the agreement between the Exhibition Association and Sask Housing.

“Now we, you know, we have a little bit of breathing room, we still need to find a permanent location with all these moving parts,” said Powalinsky.

City residents may notice a more immediate impact however, should no extension happen beyond May 15th.

A recent ruling by an Ontario judge prevents municipalities from removing tent encampments if there is no alternative location for the inhabitants to go, such as a homeless shelter.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

On BlueSky: @susanmcneil.bsky.social