Sask. secures group hotel rate to house social assistance clients in emergencies

The provincial government has secured a group rate on hotel rooms for social assistance clients with a one-year $1.25 million commitment.

Accommodations for emergency situations will be provided in both Regina and Saskatoon when emergency shelters in the cities are full.

Those in need in Regina will stay at the Travelodge in the city’s east end. In Saskatoon, people will stay at The Country Inn and Suites, not far from the airport.

“So this is a pilot that we’re looking at for the next year to try and get the best possible deal we can within the Ministry of Social Services,” Minister of Social Services Gene Makowsky said.

Five rooms will be reserved at each hotel nightly. That works out to about $100 a night per room plus a $200 damage deposit which will be refunded if there are no damages done following a stay.

“And that comes at a fixed price and it also comes with a damage deposit of $200 if necessary,” Makowsky said.

The government had been paying higher nightly room rates at other motels because it previously refused to cover any damages.

The Saskatchewan NDP brought the hotel payment issue to light in February.

It showed the ministry was paying inflated rates to house social services clients in motels — in some cases, nearly double.

From 2022 to 2023, the Sask. Party government paid nearly $400,000 to house clients in motels that one of its own members has a financial interest in, all at premium rates.

• Sask. NDP claims 2nd motel linked to MLA is hiking prices for social services clients

The Sask. Party opted for this new approach in the wake of those revelations.

In a written statement on Wednesday, the NDP criticized the Sask. Party's ability to manage money.

“After 17 years in power, the Sask. Party is out of touch, out of ideas and just throwing money at problems instead of addressing the root causes.”

The government will analyse costs at the end of the one-year contract.

If there are damages to rooms, and the cost outweighs any savings on room rates, the province may return to booking individual rooms without damage deposits.

-- With files from Rory MacLean