SASKATOON — The Government of Saskatchewan is signing a contract with the Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) for $802,000 over three years to develop and deliver culturally supportive programming that helps adult male offenders successfully reintegrate into their communities and reduce returns to custody.
This funding includes $115,000 in startup funding from the 2023-24 budget, and $229,000 per year over the next three fiscal years.
"STC remains committed to helping people find a new and healthy path into society," STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand said.
"Our Urban Camp programming offers the supports that can help make that happen for some as we try to break the cycle of incarceration. We thank the provincial government for recognizing through this partnership the outcomes and results we consistently deliver."
The Urban Camp at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre is home to approximately 50 low-security inmates at any given time and is the only urban working camp in the province. It was created over 40 years ago to allow reduced-custody offenders to participate in supervised work assignments throughout the community. Urban Camp inmates provide services ranging from general manual labour, landscaping, building and property maintenance, cleaning, community gardening, construction, event clean up and disaster relief support. While there, inmates can access onsite addictions counselling, domestic violence, cultural, spiritual, grief, trauma, literacy, parenting, vocational and employment programming.
