Question Period (20 November 2025)

From Hansard (20 November 2025)

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Emergency Hotel Stays Paid by Social Services

Nicole Sarauer: — Mr. Speaker, not even close to the question that I asked. The reality is, people in Saskatchewan are struggling, and that question was to the Premier.

Mr. Speaker, this week we exposed that the Sask Party ignored warnings from officials — their own officials — to stop placing Social Services clients in a Regina hotel that has cockroaches climbing the walls, bedbug-infested mattresses, and drug deals occurring in plain sight. The Minister of Social Services admitted yesterday that people are still being put up in that very hotel.

Mr. Speaker, is this what the Premier thinks helping desperate people looks like?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And with regards to the Coachman Inn — that is the hotel that is in question here, Mr. Speaker — the Coachman is used as an absolute last resort. It is on the list, Mr. Speaker. It remains open. It’s passed its last public health inspection, so it is still a going concern in the city of Regina.

With that said, Mr. Speaker, Ministry of Social Services works with every individual that comes to our ministry in a time of crisis. We will find that individual some shelter, put a roof over their head while we work with them to get them longer term, stable housing, Mr. Speaker. Under no circumstances will we leave an individual in the cold. That is the irresponsible thing to do, Mr. Speaker, and this ministry takes this extremely seriously.

 

Nicole Sarauer: — Mr. Speaker, let’s be very clear. This is not who we are. This is Saskatchewan. We care about each other. People staying at this hotel report to CTV literally being eaten by bedbugs as they sleep, and there’s footage of cockroaches climbing the walls. I have been in this hotel myself visiting constituents. I have seen the conditions with my own eyes.

If the minister won’t do his job and cut ties with this hotel, will the Premier step in right now and put a stop to this inhumane treatment of Saskatchewan people turning to his government for help?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Mr. Speaker, as I answered in the previous question, this is something that we take extremely seriously. When it comes to individuals and their safety and making sure that they are not left to their own devices out on the streets, that is the responsible thing to do, Mr. Speaker.

Our ministry works with a number of hotels in Regina. Depending on the vacancies at that particular day, Mr. Speaker, we try to and attempt to house individuals in hotels that are on our list — whether it be the eight rooms that we have blocked or, if those are already in use, we have a three-quote process, Mr. Speaker.

If there are no vacancies in Regina, this hotel is used as the absolute last resort because it’s either that or being out on the streets. And we will not leave anybody on the streets, Mr. Speaker.

 

Brent Blakley: — Mr. Speaker, this is such deplorable treatment of Saskatchewan people. We’re supposed to care for our neighbours. The Sask Party forgot that somewhere over the last 18 years. Not only is this government mistreating people turning to them for help, but they’re paying tons of money for their mismanagement as well. Today we’re releasing a contract for more than a million dollars paid to two hotels to house homeless people and those on social services. And those are just two that we’re aware of.

Why can’t this minister deliver on actually getting those people real housing and save Saskatchewan taxpayers some money in the process?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, the Ministry of Social Services, we work with a number of hotel providers in Regina, Saskatoon, and really throughout the province, to provide immediate assistance to families and to individuals, to children who are in crisis and in need of immediate support, Mr. Speaker.

You know, when it comes to balancing cost-effectiveness, safety, and availability when securing hotel rooms, Mr. Speaker, we do have the blocked rooms in Regina and Saskatoon. We also have a three-quote process that our ministry does on a regular basis to ensure that we are getting the best value for the ratepayers of this province as well as providing a safe place for these individuals to go in crisis, Mr. Speaker.

 

Brent Blakley: — Mr. Speaker, talk about cost-effectiveness. There’s more than 2,000 vacant affordable housing units in this province. The government refuses to fix them. They would rather dole out millions to hotels. And as we’ve uncovered, at least one of those hotels is downright disgusting. It’s pathetic really. Is this what the minister considers a housing strategy?

Hon. Terry Jenson: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And when it comes to strategies, we just released yesterday our provincial approach to homelessness, Mr. Speaker. This is a $20 million renewal and expansion of the foundational funding that was done in 2023 of $40.2 million, Mr. Speaker.

This government has invested $98 million to date in this area. This is investments that are going to protect the people that need it most, Mr. Speaker. This is ensuring that we have additional supportive housing, Mr. Speaker. This is ensuring that we have enhanced shelter spaces. This is also making sure that we have complex-needs facilities in Saskatoon and Regina and soon to be in other places around the province, Mr. Speaker.

So when it comes to keeping people safe in this province, this is a government, Mr. Speaker, that is going to do that work and we are going to do it well. And we are going to keep partnering with our Indigenous and community partners as well as our municipalities while we do that work, Mr. Speaker.

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