A Saskatoon city councilor is under fire for a comment and request he made at the Saskatchewan Urban Municipality Association Convention on Wednesday.

During the Bear Pit session, Ward 3 City Councilor Robert Pearce asked Premier Scott Moe if he would consider reducing the number of beds at the Fairhaven Emergency Wellness Centre, as well as replace the Saskatoon Tribal Council as the shelter’s service provider to one that is more successful.

Moe responded that he might consider reducing the number of beds but not switching the operator.

STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand says for Pearce to make such comments in front of over 1000 delegates from across the province was out of line, and not founded on anything, as the STC has been running the 106-bed shelter efficiently for the last two years.

“I’m not sure why he’s pitting us against over service providers, because we shouldn’t be doing that. We should be working together and trying to lift each other up.”

Arcand adds that he wasn’t there to hear the remarks in person, but he found out almost immediately.

“My phone blew up. People were telling me what he just said. I was concerned. I wasn’t there to defend our name, our reputation, in front of strangers, other mayors, other councilors.”

The Chief says Pearce’s comments made it obvious that city council is divided on the city’s homelessness crisis, because just hours after comments were made, Mayor Cynthia Block called Arcand to thank him for their valued partnership.

“We have a crisis in our city. She understands that. She agrees…You look at January to March, 59 people died. We have a crisis.”

Arcand says there are no plans in place to reduce STC’s service provisions. In fact, he says the organization is in the process of finalizing a service agreement with the province for another year.