SASKATOON — The new Emergency Wellness Centre is set to open on Friday, Dec. 2, with the Saskatoon Tribal Council almost completing its transition from the existing facility downtown.
Relatives have been transitioning to the new wellness center at 415 Fairmont Drive, a joint project by the STC and the Saskatchewan Housing Corp.
STC is leasing the facility from SHC, which purchased the property for $5 million, and they expect to complete moving their operations to the Fairmont Drive facility on Saturday, Dec. 3.
Some relatives have already arrived at the new emergency centre, while more will be relocated as we head into the winter season.
The new facility will have 106 beds with expansion to accommodate more relatives — whether Indigenous or non-Indigenous — a possibility.
“The property serves as an area that has an opportunity to provide much space. There’s much space here that we can utilize,” said STC Chief Mark Arcand. “We have room for extension in this building in the future.”
He added that aside from counselling, to overcome addiction issues, the facility will have paramedics on site to administer first aid if needed.
“With the [wellness centre], we’re trying to refer people to get them off the street and the cold weather. People get to understand this cold weather is different from summer,” said Arcand.
“In cold weather, everybody wants to come inside. In the summertime, people will spread out because they can sleep outside.”
