By Ashley Wills

Saskatoon homeless death unacceptable: United Way

Nov 17, 2014 | 3:30 PM

The United Way of Saskatoon says any death is one too many when it comes to the homeless population in the city.
 
On Saturday, police reported that a 42-year-old man was found dead inside a semi truck, abandoned near Optimist Park.
 
Foul play is not suspected and police believe he had been living there for some time.
 
“Clearly, we need to do more and we need to do it quickly,” United Way CEO Myra Potter said.
 
She said it’s hard to know how many people in the city could be sleeping in their vehicles, but a homeless count in 2012 found that 72 people on that night were sleeping outside.
 
There have been actions since then to end homelessness, including a housing first strategy and a cold weather strategy.
 
“That’s targeted to our most-chronically, most vulnerable homeless citizens – like this man Jerry that just passed away,” Potter said.
 
The cold weather strategy has agencies in Saskatoon on high alert when temperatures fall. Potter said both the Lighthouse and Egadz have vehicles on the road to search for people who might be sleeping outside.
 
But Potter said the death over the weekend is a sad reminder as to why a plan to end homelessness is needed.
 
“We’ll continue to work, to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

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