Vigil for Saskatoon man who died outside draws attention to housing

About 20 people gathered on the street corner near where a Saskatoon man was found dead outside on Nov. 6. 

Family of Kevin James Sutherland wept outside the front of City Centre Church on the corner of Avenue H S and 20th Street W where a vigil held in his memory was held. 

Saskatoon police said the death is not considered suspicious, but are awaiting results from the coroner's office. 

Ruby Stickney, one of the vigil organizers and a community activist, said that neither the city or province seem motivated to prevent freezing deaths in the province.

"We would rather prioritize a downtown arena than providing affordable and accessible housing to people who need it; housing is a human right, watching sports is not," Stickney said.

"I don't know what more needs to happen than someone passing away for people to pay attention and do something."

Caitlyn Stickney said she wanted Sutherland's family and the community to know he'll be missed. 

"This is a loss for the whole community. There's absolutely no excuse to have people dying outside businesses, a few blocks from a hospital, in our city," she said.

Lauren Scruton was one of the approximately 20 people who came to the vigil. 

"As someone who spends maybe a couple hours outside with my dog in a day, I am so layered and sometimes purposefully bringing a hot drink with me," said Scruton.

"It's unfathomable to me for someone to be out and not only that aspect of the physical cold but the hurt of just not feeling cared for by fellow humans."

The same day Sutherland was found dead, Prince Albert police discovered the body of Wallace Bird, 52, behind a business in the 800 Block of 15th Street East just before 8 a.m. CST.

Police also did not consider his death suspicious.

The overnight low temperature in Saskatoon on Nov. 6 was –17.9 C, according to Environment Canada. In Prince Albert, it was –11.5 C.

More than 80 people die from exposure to the cold in Canada every year, according to Environment Canada.

From 2007 to 2017, 146 people have died in Saskatchewan due to cold exposure, according to statistics released by the Office of the Chief Coroner.