Homelessness and the Cost of Living in Saskatoon, SK. Darya Liutaya

Written by Darya Liutaya for Terrian Wallings' blog post on January 20th 2023 

Homelessness and the Cost of Living in Saskatoon, SK.

January 20th 2023 Darya Liutaya

A large number of individuals and families in Saskatoon are suffering from housing insecurity and are living on the streets. Although there is no simple answer; it is important for us, as a community, to confront these issues. There are many contributors to homelessness. One of the big underlying causes is poverty and the cost of living crisis. 

Poverty plays a significant role in Saskatoon’s homeless population. The basic essentials of life, including food and clothes, are out of reach for a large number of low-income families. It is estimated that the average cost of living for a single person, without rent, in Saskatoon is 1,253.7$ monthly. Even with financial assistance; 600$ a month for a single person no longer reflects the cost of living. Another huge factor is the lack of employment opportunities and many workplaces only paying the minimum wage. An individual would have to work 154 hours a month to just barely afford to live in Saskatoon.

Also, the scarcity of affordable housing in Saskatoon is another one of the major contributors to homelessness. The cost of living in the city has increased in recent years, making it challenging for low-income families and individuals to find a home. A study conducted by The Homeless Hub states that, as of 2018, 475 people in Saskatoon were experiencing homelessness. This problem is made worse by the scarcity of rental homes, which leaves many people without any options for housing. The Homeless Hub also provides information on the apartment vacancy rate; which is 4.6% (as of 2021) with the average cost of rent for a bachelor suite being 745$ a month. (as of 2021)

Well, what can we do to help? Emergency shelters, like, The Lighthouse, The Salvation Army, and many others are great places to help. It is important to donate or volunteer to help these shelters stay as helpful as they are. Donating is as easy as ever with the internet, for example, The Lighthouse has a “How to Donate” link on their website that lists everything you can do to help! You also don't just have to donate money or goods, you can also donate your time by volunteering, though their volunteering program is currently suspended due to Covid-19, the minimum age to volunteer is 14 with parental consent and be accompanied by a supervising adult.

We must also recognize and devilify the stigma related to homelessness. Although many homeless people are sometimes perceived as being lazy or undeserving of assistance, the truth is that they are often dealing with challenging situations and need our support. One way to do this is through social media. Social media provides a quick and easy way to let your voice be heard. It is important to vocalize issues you see from within your community. Signing petitions and participating in online and in-person protests. 

In the end, we must work together to tackle homelessness in our city by providing homes, assistance, and opportunity to those in need. As well as fight to provide employment opportunities that pay a livable wage to address the underlying causes of poverty and unemployment in our community. This is a communal duty that calls for a combined effort from all tiers of government, nonprofits, and citizens.  

If you’re interested, feel free to sign this petition, https://www.change.org/p/premier-scott-moe-leave-no-one-behind-support-saskatchewan-s-most-vulnerable-during-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0BSn5BrB3FwfH4anJv2VTdz2m6xnQXQvdbQJKr0KUHKcjQ7ZWu0y9UiaM

Works Cited

“Cost of Living in Saskatoon.” . Jan 2023. Prices in Saskatoon, https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Saskatoon#:~:text=Summary%20about%20cost%20of%20living,than%20Seattle%20(without%20rent).

“Employment Standards.” Government of Saskatchewan, https://www.saskatchewan.ca/business/employment-standards/payment-of-wages-and-payroll-administration/minimum-wage-and-reporting-for-duty-pay#:~:text=Effective%20October%201%2C%202022%2C%20the,will%20be%20%2415.00%20per%20hour.

“Saskatoon.” Saskatoon | The Homeless Hub, https://www.homelesshub.ca/community-profile/saskatoon.

“The Value of Social Media for Mobilizing Research in the Homelessness Sector .” The Value of Social Media for Mobilizing Research in the Homelessness Sector  | The Homeless Hub, https://www.homelesshub.ca/blog/value-social-media-mobilizing-research-homelessness-sector%C2%A0.

“Volunteer.” The Lighthouse, https://www.lighthousesaskatoon.org/volunteer/.