SASKATOON—The city’s homelessness crisis is one of the issues weighing on the mind of Councillor Zach Jeffries, a concern he consistently heard from his constituents in Ward 10 when he knocked on their doors during the campaign period in the last municipal elections. The problem was validated after the Point-In-Time Count was released before the end of 2024, where it showed 1,499 people are experiencing homelessness in Saskatoon.
The PIT Count is a way to determine the number of sheltered and unsheltered people and to get a broader picture of homelessness in an area. In October, over 200 volunteers conducted the PIT in Saskatoon with the Saskatoon Housing Initiative Partnership, the Reaching Home Community Entity in Saskatoon, and the University of Saskatchewan’s Community-University Institute for Social Research.
He said poverty and public safety come next after homelessness as their other priorities, as residents of Ward 10 also raised these issues, and the City Council is determined to address the need for better housing solutions and safer communities. Warming locations and temporary shelters are also in place to help people experiencing homelessness as the temperature continues to drop in the negative 20s.
“We heard loud and clear from folks in this community during the election. Despite my acclimation, I had the opportunity to knock on doors, and folks were saying very clearly that they wanted to have our Council do our best on both issues of homelessness and housing, as well as safety in the community. Those conversations matter because they help us understand what people want from their city and hold us accountable,” said Jeffries
“Those are areas where not only do we play a direct role, but we play a role that's supporting and so ensuring that the provincial government and the federal government understand what's going on in Saskatoon, the things that are in their jurisdiction and are making a compelling case about them being involved and helping to solve these problems collaboratively with us. And I know we will work hard to make that happen.”
He believes in a collaborative approach, with the city directly tackling these issues and working with other levels of government, which is crucial for creating lasting change. He has already started conversations with his colleagues in the Council about making a compelling case to the provincial and federal governments, advocating for shared responsibility in solving these complex problems.
Jeffries added that, just like in the previous city council, he expects to see the same enthusiasm for working together to benefit the residents in the current members, as he sees their diverse backgrounds and views as a positive thing, where they may not always agree on certain specific. Still, they do so with respect.
“We have a good mix of returning and new councillors, so we have folks with that institutional memory and people who have brought new ideas and exciting perspectives. But beyond that, we also have a diverse Council with different points of view and maybe political persuasions. And beyond that, we also continue to have one of the few gender-balanced councils in Canada. With all of those pieces, with 11 of us around the table, I think we've got the right people to get stuff done,” said Jeffries.
He was proud of the atmosphere of mutual respect in the Council Chamber, which he felt was rare but necessary for productive decision-making. Saskatoon's council's ability to work through differences made It stand out in a country where political polarization often led to deadlock.
Jeffries won his fourth term by acclamation in the November elections. He is one of four returning members—Troy Davis (Ward 4), Randy Donauer (Ward 5), and Bev Dubois (Ward 9)—on the City Council, which will be led by Saskatoon’s first female mayor, Cynthia Block. Ward 2 voters also elected its first African councillor, Senos Timon.
He said their task as the new city council will not be easy as the year progresses, and he expects difficult decisions will be made. They will go through tough conversations, but they are driven to fulfill the promises made to the people of Saskatoon.
