Temporary closure of Saskatoon library branches amid overdose crisis needed but won't fix broader issues: CUPE
Saskatoon Public Library closing downtown, 20th Street branches for a month over staff safety concerns
The union representing Saskatoon Public Library workers says the temporary closure of two library branches over safety concerns stemming from an overdose crisis is the right thing to do — for now.
On Friday, the public library announced a month-long closure of its downtown Frances Morrison Library and the Dr. Freda Ahenakew library on 20th Street W. in the wake of the city's protracted overdose crisis.
Library staff responded to at least 48 overdoses or drug poisonings so far this year — almost double the number from the same period in 2024, according to a statement from the public library.
Both branches will reopen April 21, it said.
Michelle Pharis, president of the Canadian Union for Public Employees Local 2669, said the library staff it represents want to be as welcoming as possible, but they're not trained to handle increasingly dangerous situations happening in some libraries.
"The drug poisoning, the increased incidents, the fact that police and emergency services who we count on are stretched beyond thin, we cannot provide library services under the conditions that are occurring in this city right now," Pharis said.
CUPE 2669 represents around 260 Saskatoon library employees, not including janitorial and security employees.
Staff at the two branches are routinely stopping people from using or selling drugs, and are removing intoxicated people from the buildings in line with bylaw requirements, Pharis said.
Hiring more staff could improve safety but wouldn't solve underlying problems, she added.
"Having more staff in the library doesn't help that person right outside the front door who is in an overdose situation, and we're calling the ambulance and they can't come because there aren't enough of them," Pharis said.
The statement from the library said its staff can't provide "safe and effective" services in the face of an increase in homelessness and a spike in overdose cases caused by a toxic drug supply in the city.
"Addressing the increasing number of medical emergencies and violent incidents in the library is beyond our capacity," it said.
"Our employees face the challenging task of referring people to community services that are often unavailable or overcapacity due to a lack of resources."
The library's statement said no one with Saskatoon Public Library will be available for interviews on this matter.
While the library said the temporary closure will allow for improved security measures and extra training for staff, Pharis thinks the provincial government needs to step up.
"The provincial government hasn't increased library funding in the last three budgets and … they took the funding away for harm reduction," she said.
"I feel like the provincial government has dropped the ball on supporting people, and making it so that people don't have to try to scramble to find a place to go because they have nowhere else."
In 2024, the Saskatchewan Party government ended financial support for harm reduction initiatives to instead focus on what it said are "recovery-oriented" approaches to addiction. In the lead-up to last year's provincial election, the Saskatchewan Party said it would continue working to open 500 new addiction treatment beds, 213 of which it said had already been announced or opened under its government.
Last year, safety issues led to reduced hours at four Saskatoon library branches, and staff went on strike over wages and safety issues. The new contract added health and safety measures for employees, such as protections for staff working alone.
Exacerbating the current situation is this week's temporary closure of Prairie Harm Reduction's drop-in centre and supervised consumption site to give its staff time to recover from a heavy workload stemming from the overdose crisis.
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