Indigenous support workers are now on Saskatoon streets as part of a pilot project aimed at helping vulnerable people access services and support.
The City of Saskatoon says four workers will operate in teams of two, spending the summer in the downtown and Riversdale areas as part of the Indigenous Peacekeeper Pilot Project.
While they do not enforce bylaws, they can provide rides to shelters and the food bank, report crime or suspicious activity, and track data related to medical calls, fires, trespassing and property damage. Chris Martell said he uses cultural practices and compassion to help build trust and connect with vulnerable people.
“Lot of these people just want to be heard. They want to be seen there, they have a lot of trauma,” Martell said. Saskatoon’s 2025 Point-in-Time Count found about 1,931 people were homeless, with about 82 per cent identifying as Indigenous.