City to look to youth in battle with COVID-19 following Wednesday meeting

As the City of Saskatoon continues to deal with its strategy for COVID-19, it wants to make sure youth are involved in the ongoing battle.

During a special governance and priorities committee meeting on COVID-19 Wednesday, the city passed a request to help with community safety and well-being.

The request is geared at finding and working with a young person in the community, tailored in the vulnerable sector, to build relationships and identify needs.

Ward 2 Coun. Hilary Gough tabled the request, which frees up $8,030 through unallocated funds within the 2020 city budget. An additional $4,000 in supported-in-kind donations will go to covering the cost of hiring the youth.

Gough told 650 CKOM the request comes as concerns are heightened within the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s become clear that one voice that’s missing (is) the voice of youth, and the reality is there are youth in our community who need the services that are being provided right now.”

Gough said services the city is focusing on are urgent needs around food, housing, security and homelessness.

“People are working together in ways that they’ve never done before, and I know that youth are a critical voice in this work.”

The funds are already in place in the budget, and Gough said the request resembles a grant towards the initiative. The funds will come from city council’s pre-existing strategic priorities fund.

The youth has yet to be designated, but the city is looking for someone already connected to vulnerable populations.

AIDS Saskatoon will be the primary supervisor on the project. They’ll be supported by the Safe Community Action Alliance, as well as youth-engaged organizations such as Chokecherry Studios and the Students Commission.

Council unanimously approved the project.

The decision to fund the initiative wasn’t the only item on Wednesday’s agenda.

During a question and answer session, some tough news was shared by Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) deputy medical health officer, Dr. Johnmark Opondo.

He said the city was working well towards social distancing, but the damage may already be done within the community.

“What we’re also beginning to see (is) cases of local transmission,” he said. “Coronavirus is probably in our environment.

“It is really, really important to follow the advice of public health.”

Questions arose as to why the province continues to have both cannabis and liquor stores open, as many other non-essential services close. Dr. Opondo said the medicinal side of marijuana plays a factor but with liquor stores, dependency is an issue.

“We want to do the best to maintain public order, and not force people into doing their own homemade solutions, which we know people are pretty creative.”

Early Tuesday evening, the city announced playgrounds would be closing around the city, effective Wednesday. The city said it’s putting together its “processes” to add either additional signage or tape down the playground areas.

The timeframe in which the changes could happen would come down to acquiring the correct supplies.

Saskatoon now sits at 41 cases since the disease was first detected in the city, and province, on March 11.