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Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark strongly criticized the Saskatchewan government for being slow to help the city’s most vulnerable people during the pandemic, saying its plan “pales in comparison” to Alberta’s, which includes tens of millions of dollars for shelters.

“Right now is an urgent time for the province to make it an immediate priority to get the systems in place to support our vulnerable population,” Clark told reporters Wednesday, one day after the province rolled out its plan, which has been panned as a “Band-aid.”

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“For two weeks, there’s been discussions and meetings with the province, but frankly, we are lacking action. We are lacking clear and adequate funding commitments and the implementation of easily-accessible systems to house the homeless, to help provide testing and food,” he added.

Clark spoke to reporters two days after he and 10 local leaders, including Saskatoon’s police and fire chiefs, Saskatoon Tribal Council’s chief, the president of the University of the Saskatchewan, and two Safe Community Action Alliance leaders dispatched a letter to Premier Scott Moe.