Officials with The Lighthouse have issued a statement expressing disappointment with the decision by the province to no longer fund the stabilization centre in Saskatoon.
The reason cited by the province was that the unit was unable to cover its costs. But in a statement issued Monday by the board and management of The Lighthouse, they made clear their unhappiness with the decision.
“We, the board, management and staff of The Lighthouse, are disappointed with the decision of the provincial government to not fund the stabilization shelter,” their statement read. “We believe that all factors needed to make this decision were not given, used or possibly considered. Therefore, given time they or the next government will reverse this decision.”
The statement noted the impact the decision would have for the most vulnerable, including in North Battleford where The Lighthouse Serving the Battlefords is located.
“It is unfortunate that this decision impacts some of the most vulnerable in our community. To date in 2016, there have been over 440 unique individuals that have utilized the stabilization shelter.
"If Saskatoon and North Battleford want intoxicated people on the street or filling police cells, then this decision should stand. But we at The Lighthouse are concerned about the people living on the street – their mental health conditions may deteriorate, or worse, they may freeze.
:We have worked hard through our partnership with Saskatoon Health Region, and proved that our services lower the number of ER visits and improve the health and mental health of our clients. In fact, the report reffered to by the provincial government showed that for every $10 spent, we save the province $21”
Despite this news, officials with The Lighthouse plan to keep searching for sustainable funding for their operations.
“The Lighthouse is constantly looking for better ways to serve our communities. Our dedicated staff work hard and care for the people we serve. It has been extremely hard to turn people away after this decision was released, but the current model of funding is not sustainable. Since we are dynamic and innovative we will continue to seek solutions to this problem.”
