The LLRIB is ready to relocate its homeless shelter if given the green light from town council. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

town council

No opposition for homeless shelter relocation ahead of council meeting

Dec 5, 2025 | 4:23 PM

La Ronge council will consider a development permit application at a regular meeting on Monday to convert the former Kitsaki Meats building for use of a temporary shelter service.

“It is pretty well good to go,” Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Coun. Ann Ratt said about relocating the service from the Silver Building at Morin’s Hill.

“The plumbing is working, the walls are up. We just got halted because… we needed to go through the Town of La Ronge for permits. Even though it is our building, even though it is off-reserve, they have to go through the Town of La Ronge for permits, and that’s all that is holding us up right now.”

According to documents prepared by the town administration, the move will allow the LLRIB to expand its shelter area with an open concept design, which will improve safety for staff and shelter users. There will be 30 to 40 beds, and hours will be expanded for winter from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m.

“For one thing, there is going to be more space there, and another thing is when the clients are at the shelter where they are now, when we have a wake service or program going on, they tend to all go there,” Ratt noted.

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Ahead of Monday’s meeting, which is open to members of the public who have any concerns, La Ronge property owner Trudy Connor said she is in favour of the relocation.

“I feel strongly that something more is needed for the houseless of our tri-community, and this is a very good start,” she wrote to council.

“In my opinion, it’s in a pretty ideal location: it is between the reserve community and the town’s residents, as well as the town’s services that people might need. It is not close to schools or daycares (which is sometimes an issue for residents), and it is my understanding that its location makes it eligible to receive grants from both provincial and federal agencies.”

In addition to the development permit, council will also discuss two other major projects at next week’s meeting. They include allowing the subdivision and commercial use of two lots to be created on the north and south sides of Riese Drive to facilitate the construction of a new RONA store and lumber yard, as well as whether or not they notify the Ministry of Government Relations that they recommend the approval of the subdivision of the town-owned lands to facilitate the expansion of the La Ronge Fire Base.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com