Indigenous support workers take to Saskatoon streets in pilot project

A new team has been deployed to Saskatoon streets as part of an indigenous-led pilot project. Stacey Hein has the story.

Indigenous support workers are now on Saskatoon streets as part of a pilot project aimed at helping vulnerable people access services and support.

The City of Saskatoon says four workers will operate in teams of two, spending the summer in the downtown and Riversdale areas as part of the Indigenous Peacekeeper Pilot Project.

While they do not enforce bylaws, they can provide rides to shelters and the food bank, report crime or suspicious activity, and track data related to medical calls, fires, trespassing and property damage.

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Chris Martell said he uses cultural practices and compassion to help build trust and connect with vulnerable people.

“Lot of these people just want to be heard. They want to be seen there, they have a lot of trauma,” Martell said.

Saskatoon’s 2025 Point-in-Time Count found about 1,931 people were homeless, with about 82 per cent identifying as Indigenous.

Pamela Goulden-McLeod, the city’s director of emergency management, said the program is about making sure there’s proper cultural support.

“It’s really important that we look at how we can connect better, how we can provide resources better and how we keep things from escalating to need policing service or fire bylaw inspectors so we really can address the initial causes of distress,” Goulden-McLeod said.

Shawna Nelson, executive director of Downtown Saskatoon BID, said it’s a positive, proactive step.

“Because it’s culturally grounded, we may have some better response and uptake to their presence being on the streets,” Nelson said.

Randy Pshebylo, executive director of the Riversdale Business Improvement District, said the program needs to deliver results.

“The business owners, quite frankly, are fed up with the notion that we’re trying one more thing, when their taxes have increased,” Pshebylo said.

The city says the program is an interim pilot launched with the Corps of Commissionaires after plans to develop the Indigenous Peacekeeper Pilot Project with the Saskatoon Tribal Council were paused.

At the end of the pilot program, the city will review data on wellness checks, connections to community resources and transportation provided. It will also look at whether there are changes in incidents reported to police and fire services.