A northern Saskatchewan MLA is doing his part to pressure the provincial government to establish a homeless shelter in La Ronge.
Doyle Vermette is the NDP MLA for the Cumberland constituency and he says he has been working with a number of local groups to bring to the government’s attention the need for a homeless shelter in the area.
Vermette says a petition on the issue is now circulating and has about 800 names on it.
“People want to make sure they (the government) understand there is a problem, it (homelessness) is a crisis and it’s getting worse in northern Saskatchewan,” he says. “And we just want to make sure the government’s well aware of it and hopefully we can encourage them with the signatures and support of so many to say it’s time to do something in northern Saskatchewan.”
The Cumberland MLA says the goal is to get 1,000 names on the petition.
Vermette says he plans to present the petition to the government when the legislature resumes sitting in early March.