Square One Community Inc., in partnership with Providence Place, will be holding an informal session on Wednesday, January 24th to discuss homelessness in Moose Jaw. 

The session will take place at 7:00 p.m. at Providence Place in Rose Room 1 & 2, and Square One board member Mary Lee Booth says the entire community is welcome to attend. 

“I just want to extend the invitation to everyone - it could be community members, business people, people that are employed in organizations or government.” 

She said that there are myths and curiosity surrounding unhoused people in the community. “This session will provide an opportunity for some discussions, some awareness. We hope that we will be having a person with lived experience there to share their stories.” 

Booth said that there are a number of factors that can contribute to being unhoused including a lack of access to affordable housing, addictions, mental health issues, general health issues, and experiencing violence. Discussions at the session will include an overview of services and supports that are available in Moose Jaw. 

“We talk a lot about the need for emergency shelters, and that is one piece of the continuum. But emergency shelters by themselves are not an adequate solution to the issue. It’s really a systemic issue.” 

“Emergency shelters, in partnership with transitional or supportive housing, and then permanent affordable housing, are all part of the continuum of housing security.”  

She hopes that people come away from the event having learned about housing insecurity, and that the session gives them a chance to reflect. “Perhaps they might think there might be an opportunity or ways to get involved in helping in this area.” 

Booth said that Square One works together with the government and local organizations and individuals to find and address issues surrounding housing insecurity. “Square One may not be the ones that deliver the service, but we’ll work to help to coordinate and work in partnership and support agencies to deliver the services that will provide support to people who are housing insecure.”