The Community Support Program (CSP) operated under the management of the Business Improvement Districts since 2012. As of July 1, the management of the CSP has been transferred to the Saskatoon Fire Department, now known as the Fire Community Support (FCS) team.
In the 2024 Budget, six additional staff members were added to provide up to 11,700 hours of transit support, aligning with the program's transition to the Saskatoon Fire Department.
The role of the FCS workers is similar to the more familiar CSP but with the addition of six full-time staff members and increased support for Saskatoon Transit. The FCS team will routinely patrol and engage with individuals in the business areas, on Saskatoon Transit buses, and at bus terminals. They will also ride and patrol targeted bus routes where incidents are more frequent. These routes will be selected based on data collected by the City.
The goal of the FCS team is to connect and build relationships with residents and visitors, including those experiencing challenging situations such as homelessness, mental health issues and addictions. FCS workers are trained with de-escalation skills and will have immediate direct contact with emergency services if necessary.
The FCS workers completed their training this week and have started their full-time rotation. The FCS team will operate two battalions, each consisting of one FCS Supervisor and five FCS members, to provide seven-day-a-week coverage. Each battalion will alternate a four-on-four-off schedule. The start and stop times of these shifts will be based on operational requirements determined using collected data. These shifts will fall primarily between 8:00 a.m. and 12:15 a.m. the following day.
The FCS workers are expected to have a greater presence in the community and on transit routes. If residents are out in the community and see someone in distress, are lost, or happen to see negative street activity, the FCS team can be reached at 306-382-6935.