‘Free rein’: Saskatoon downtown business owners, residents criticize city’s response to ‘street people’

WATCH: Speakers at the Saskatoon city committee meeting Wednesday criticized the city's homeless response and the variety of crime that goes unpunished.

Paul Hemsing says he lives in fear, frustration and disbelief over what he sees every day living in downtown Saskatoon.

Hemsing was one of half a dozen speakers at a city committee meeting Wednesday, criticizing the city’s homeless response and the variety of crime that goes unpunished.

Hemsing said he has to walk over urine, feces and vomit daily, on his way to work. He sees drug use and public intoxication every day. He’s been shouted at, and told councillors his spouse was robbed at knife point.

“We watch absolutely stunned as a small group of individuals who are deeply marginalized, yes, are given free rein to break the law, terrorize our streets, destroy public and private property, all while the law abiding, taxpaying citizens of this city are told that they are doing their best,” Hemsing said.

Speaker after speaker said they didn’t want to take issue with the homeless population at large.

Instead, they pointed towards what they called “street people,” a group who they say choose to live on the street, break the law and cause problems that are affecting their way of life.

“We recognize and support the need for safe spaces for people experiencing homelessness,” downtown Saskatoon business improvement district executive director Shawna Nelson said.

“But I must ask, what about the safe spaces for business owners, their staff and the public?”

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Nelson and others called for police officers to be more visible downtown and patrol more often. Others called for police to enforce people breaking the law, mentioning open drug use goes unpunished while parking tickets are handed out daily.

Hemsing said he always reports the crimes he sees, which includes a man chasing him inside his building and banging on the glass repeatedly. He said police tell him there’s a long list of calls ahead of him and they will try to attend if they’re able. No officers followed up with him that particular day.

“More - but also doing the job of what they’re supposed to be doing,” Nelson said.

Nelson said some business owners are looking to not renew their lease or move altogether as customers choose to avoid downtown because of safety concerns.

City councillors at the governance and priorities committee told people in council chambers they understand the concerns and they’re working to increase safety downtown and in Riversdale.

“We hear you,” Mayor Cynthia Block said. “It may not seem like this is a priority and an urgent matter, but I promise you that it is, each and every single day.”

As part of the report before the committee, city administration said encampment cleanups cost the city $600,000 last year.

Assistant fire chief Yvonne Raymer said the city has learned a lot from the recently opened temporary homeless shelter downtown, which has a coordinated response alongside Commissionaires and the Saskatoon Police Service.

She told the committee that level of co-ordination — to ensure a visible presence of firefighters, bylaw inspectors or police — could be achieved in other parts of the city, but more resources would be needed.

Ward 8 Coun. Scott Ford said the city is losing “the battle,” and more money might be needed to ease concerns and get more people downtown.

“There are street people... they’re treated like the victim too when really the victims are the customers and our businesses,” he said. “And I think we need to change the focus in our mindset in that direction.”

A separate report on Wednesday outlined a financial forecast from administration that said property taxes would increase by more than four per cent next year because of the police budget alone, and 9.9 per cent overall if city spending were to continue as is.