Question Period (7 April 2025)

From Hansard (7 April 2025)

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Supports for Mobile Home Residents

Jacqueline Roy: — Mr. Speaker, today we are joined by residents of the Glen Elm mobile home retirement community in my constituency. In the coming days, weeks, and months they face eviction, with some having already lost their homes, declared bankruptcy, or are under serious mental health pressures that are or were just too much to take.

One hundred fifty-five Glen Elm residents to be without their homes, to be added to that roster of Regina just declaring a houselessness crisis. They’re here today to ask the minister will the minister meet with them after question period to ensure they don’t spend a single night without a roof over their head?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and to the residents of Glen Elm that are with us this afternoon, appreciate you coming down to your legislature today. The Ministry of Social Services, Mr. Speaker, we’ve been very proactive in response to the Glen Elm eviction notices right from the very beginning. As soon as we became aware of this, all the impacted residents received information about the relevant programs and services that may be available to them, including the Saskatchewan housing benefit, social housing opportunities, as well income assistance programs.

The ministry has contacted all the income assistance clients residing at Glen Elm, and these clients are being provided with the appropriate supports throughout this situation. Depending on their circumstances, income assistance clients may be eligible for relocation as well as other benefits. Income assistance will also, Mr. Speaker, be exempting compensation payments made by Glen Elm properties to homeowners who are receiving SIS [Saskatchewan income support] or SAID benefits.

Officials from housing income assistance will be in the building right after question period, and I look forward to meeting these residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Jacqueline Roy: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I find the word “proactive” bizarre because some of the letters that went out from that minister’s department actually caused confusion and chaos and mental health problems with these residents, Mr. Speaker. Many of these folks have been told they are not eligible, not eligible for the services, in that letter sent to them, Mr. Speaker, and the others that have phoned have been told they have to wait years and years to get housing.

Mr. Speaker, there’s a problem here. These people are facing eviction in days and weeks, or in less than three months. So I ask again, will the minister make sure that he is there with the people from his ministry to meet directly with them today and solve this problem once and for all?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And the answer before, my previous answer to the member opposite, is yes, I’ll definitely sit down with these residents from Glen Elm.

Mr. Speaker, this is a relationship between a private landowner, a developer, and the homeowners themselves, Mr. Speaker. The ministry reached out to every residence of Glen Elm, providing the details on programs and services associated with the housing benefit, with different programs that the ministry operates. And again I’ll put on the record as well that when it comes to the reimbursement being paid by Glen Elm developments to the homeowners, the ministry will be exempting those compensation payments from SIS and SAID clients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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