Saskatchewan election: Leading parties promise to work with Ottawa on homelessness [Video]

Saskatchewan’s two major political parties promised Thursday to work with federal partners on finding the best deal for addressing homelessness if they win Monday’s provincial election.

NDP Leader Carla Beck told reporters Saskatchewan should be working with the federal government and municipalities on ways to support homeless people.

Beck has said the NDP would introduce rent caps, make vacant provincial housing units available to families and increase the supply of rental units.

She said she isn’t blind to reality.

“(I) saw people sleeping rough on the street just when we were driving up here today,” Beck said in Prince Albert.

“We should be working … to ensure that we are providing the best services for people in this province.”

Federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser has said he wrote to provinces last month about working together to fund shelter spaces for those experiencing homelessness. Saskatchewan was one of three that hadn’t formally responded, he said.

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