A public hearing for a permit for a permanent homeless shelter in Prince Albert is on Monday's council agenda. (File photo/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Public hearing

Public Hearing on permit for homeless shelter on Monday’s council agenda

Oct 26, 2025 | 6:00 AM

Prince Albert city council will be presented with an application for a development permit for a permanent shelter for homeless people after much local discussion.

The Community Services department, which includes planning, has put the permit application on the agenda with a recommendation to approve it with certain conditions.

The conditions include the submission of a complete set of plans that satisfy administration, that the conditions of the Conditional Sale Agreement between the city and Sask Housing be met, and the contract zoning agreement be signed.

While Sask Housing will own the property, they have contracted with the Prince Albert Grand Council to operate the current temporary shelter.

One of the conditions of the development permit is that the plans be evaluated through the lens of ‘crime prevention through environmental design’, as discussed with Prince Albert Police. It’s an approach to building and property planning and development that reduces opportunities for crime.

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This is the second-to-last step in the process, according to the agenda item. The final step is for the city to finish a servicing agreement with Sask Housing.

The location in the permit is 650 Exhibition Drive, which is part of the current City Yards location. One acre of land is to be subdivided and sold to Sask Housing Corporation for the shelter.

While much discussion has happened around the city as those in favour of a shelter looked for locations, some have opposed.

Three letters of opposition are included in the agenda although a public hearing must precede second and third reading.

An initial date for reading last month was abandoned because the mail strike meant the planning department could not guarantee that all residents or property owners within 150 metres of the location were notified.

Because it is a development permit, in this case, the only people who can speak at the hearing will be those who have registered with the city clerk beforehand.

A new date was set for Oct. 27 and the department said that letters were either hand delivered or sent by courier to every affected properties.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com