Officers, Fairhaven and bear spray: Chief McBride updates on policing hot topics

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A recent announcement by Premier Scott Moe means 37 additional Saskatoon police officers, which chief Cam McBride calls “an incredible offering for Saskatoon.”

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Moe announced at the SUMA convention that 100 additional municipal officers would be added across the province.

McBride said the Saskatoon Police Service was already planning for 24 additional officers in 2025, and that the challenge now is getting everyone trained.

“The Saskatoon complement of members is 37 when it’s broken down provincially. It’s an incredible offering for Saskatoon, and we’ll be pursuing it for sure,” said McBride, who also talked about other police-related issues in the city.

FAIRHAVEN CRIME STATS

Coun. Robert Pearce has asked for data around the number of incidents reported in the Fairhaven community.

Pearce brought forward the request after the manager for the Mustard Seed’s Pacific Avenue shelter said there were no major issues occurring due to the new shelter space.

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Pearce had even asked at the SUMA convention’s bear pit whether Moe would consider reducing the capacity of the Saskatoon Tribal Council’s Emergency Wellness Centre, and find a new service provider to take over for STC.

McBride said he was aware of the request and that SPS is gathering data, but he couldn’t speak definitively on the matter.

“This time of year, it’s nicer out, people are out and about, we do see an increase in foot traffic and increase in individuals who are perhaps unhoused who are now in the parks or setting up encampments in other places,” he said.

That type of activity is expected, McBride said, but he couldn’t say what impact that has on any given neighbourhood at the moment.

A similar report was brought to city council in April 2024. It showcased incidents that police and fire responded to in the Fairhaven area and Confederation Suburban Centre.

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While the report showed an increase in incidents, the meeting turned into a call for people and businesses to report crime to police when they see it.

SAFE PUBLIC SPACES ACT EXPANSION

Moe announced an expansion of the Safe Public Spaces Act last week.

The act, expected to be passed this spring and come into effect over the summer, allows municipalities and First Nations who opt in to regulate the possession, transportation and storage of items deemed street weapons.

Bear spray, large knives and machetes fell under this umbrella, but the provincial government announced that fentanyl, hypodermic needles and meth are being added to the list.

McBride said anything that helps police target those who are involved in trafficking drugs is to everyone’s benefit.

“Legislation that has more teeth in terms of penalties for trafficking, we’re all in for that.”

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He addressed concerns around whether the amendments would further victimize marginalized people, saying they’ll take a balanced approach.

“We’ll be caring for the needs of individuals in crisis who are on our streets in Saskatoon,” he said, “while ensuring that there’s a measure of accountability so that our citizens can feel safe, so that our business owners can operate in a way that’s productive.”

BEAR SPRAY BYLAW

McBride said a new bylaw, or changes to a current bylaw, are being considered for bear spray in Saskatoon, noting that the presence of bear spray in the community only exists because it is so readily available.

“In 2022, there were 180 incidents where bear spray was the most serious weapon present during a violent crime,” SPS said in a statement.

That number more than doubled in two years, with 367 bear spray incidents recorded in 2024.

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Police say there were 74 incidents of bear spray within the first two months of 2025.

“How do we stop that? How do we change that? And how do we ensure that accountability for people who are purchasing it and then losing track of it?” McBride says. “That’s probably one of the most significant things. We may have individuals who are lawfully purchasing it, but as soon as it leaves the store it transfers into the hands of those who use it for a criminal purpose.”

The police service has submitted a proposal to the city on what they would be looking for to address bear spray, although SPS wouldn’t comment on what was in that proposal at this time.

In a previous interview with McBride, he noted that controlling the bear-spray point of sale and having appropriately strong penalties is needed to curb the growing number of related incidents.

A report to council regarding this proposal is expected in June.

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CRISIS TEAM INCREASED CALLS

McBride also spoke about the vulnerable-persons unit, which saw calls to the the police and crisis team (PACT) more than triple between 2019 and 2024.

PACT offers a police response, paired with crisis workers, to people who are in need and face issues around mental illness and/or addictions.

McBride said people are coming from other places to Saskatoon, adding that could be because they don’t have access to some services in their own community.

“I know that our service providers in the community are experiencing the same challenges that we’re experiencing in policing, and so I think we need to look at alternatives,” he said. “We need to look at doing things in a different way.”

He said we need to better understand how to meet the needs of vulnerable people, and said increased calls to the police and crisis team highlights that shift to trying to do things differently.

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McBride said police aren’t always the appropriate response, so being able to pair an officer with a social worker makes for a better and more well-rounded service.

“Even though the numbers are on the rise, we see the outcomes far better where you utilize that team approach.”

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