City of Saskatoon cancels in-person count of unsheltered people over safety concerns
The City of Saskatoon has canceled its in-person count of unsheltered individuals, citing safety concerns related to ongoing protests at a local encampment. City officials plan to use alternative estimation methods to gather data on the homeless population instead.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between municipal authorities and advocates regarding the management of homeless encampments and the challenges of collecting accurate social data in volatile environments.
The count was supposed to happen Tuesday, with about 250 trained volunteers attempting to quantify the number of people in the city who don't have homes.
In a Friday news release, the city said the decision to cancel the in-person count was made due to "safety concerns related to potential protest activity which may affect the safety of volunteers, staff and community partners participating in the count."
The city said safety concerns have been heightened in recent weeks.
City officials posted a notice at various points throughout a large tent encampment on the west side on Sept. 23, 2026, in preparation for removing the camp. (Jeremy Warren/CBC) The fire department had warned that it planned to remove a west-side encampment occupied by more than 100 people, but the removal was paused after protests from those living there and the people who support them.
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