Fire Department & Community Partners Move to House Residents of Unsafe Motel

The Saskatoon Fire Department with the support of many community partner organizations will today take action to house approximately 150 residents of the City Centre Inn and Suites.

The Fire Department has taken the unusual but necessary steps ordering a closure of the entire City Centre Inn and Suites because of unsafe and unsanitary living conditions; the notice remains pending and will be in effect at 3 p.m. today, Thursday, July 23.

“The Department is limited in its legal authority to enter and inspect what are essentially people’s homes,” says Assistant Chief Yvonne Raymer.  “Once we were alerted by an anonymous complaint, we moved forward with the inspection process.  When it became clear there were immediate hazards because of unsafe and unclean living conditions, we quickly moved to close the entire facility.”

Approximately seven teams will conduct door-to-door visits to each room at the City Center Inn and Suites to support relocation of the residents.

The circulating teams will be comprised of:

• One health professional to conduct COVID screening and swab testing
• Two or more outreach workers to assess needs and determine appropriate housing options

Over 50 staff resources from the following agencies will be on site to support this process:

• 10 – 12  members from the Saskatoon Tribal Council
• Seven Ministry of Social Services members plus one supervisor
• Five members from the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA)
• Five members from The Salvation Army
• Three members from AIDS Saskatoon
• Three members from Saskatoon Housing Initiatives Partnership
• Two members from Saskatchewan Housing Authority
• Two members from the City of Saskatoon Emergency Management Organization
• One member from Public Health

The SHA Health Bus is one on site until 4:30 p.m.

Saskatoon Transit is providing transportation to the new locations for the residents. 

Canada Post is supporting the residents with change of address.

Meals, water and coffee for staff and displaced residents is being provided by the Salvation Army today.

Single adults will go either to a shelter, hotel or stay with family or friends for short term housing needs. 

The Saskatchewan Housing Authority is also on site to provide case management for longer term housing options.

Four families have already been relocated.

“The Fire Department is so grateful for the collaboration and support of our government and community based partners to make this happen in roughly 48 hours,” Raymer says.

Assistant Chief Raymer says the most recent visit to 610 Idylwyld Drive North which involved four Fire Inspectors revealed an immediate hazard with issues such as:

• unsafe and unsanitary conditions
• locked exit doors
• stairs at risk of collapse
• combustible material too close to buildings
• inaccessible fire extinguishers
• too few and uninspected extinguishers
• improper smoke alarm records
• failure to maintain fire alarm systems

The owner of the City Centre Inn and Suites has been ordered to remedy 34 deficiencies under the Property Maintenance and Nuisance Abatement Bylaw; and 27 deficiencies under the National Fire Code of Canada.

The closure notice – which is pending – is expected to be in effect by 3 p.m. today, Thursday, July 23.