Panhandlers frequent 21st Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues on Wednesday. Panhandling is legal in Saskatoon, but following someone down the street is not allowed.
Photograph by: Richard Marjan, The Starphoenix , The Starphoenix
Saskatoon's business district leaders believe the city's panhandling bylaw needs more teeth to ensure people shopping and working feel safe.
Brent Penner, executive director of the downtown business improvement district, said concerns about people begging for change were highlighted in the wake a random knife attack outside Saskatoon's downtown movie theatre earlier this month.
"We heard loud and clear in the last few weeks that it's uncomfortable; it creates that negative perception," Penner said at Wednesday's meeting of the street activity steering committee. Penner, and other members of the committee, said changes to the city's panhandling bylaw are needed in order to cut down on the number of people who "aggressively" ask strangers for money.
The ideas range from making it illegal to beg in front of movie theatres or performing arts venues and parking stations, to stopping people from panhandling in groups.
The head of the city's street patrol, Lesley Prefontaine, said community support officers have handed out 12 tickets since July for "aggressive panhandling," but she believes more needs to be done to cut down on the number of people doing it - especially those who hang out in large groups on the street.
"It's intimidating and it's very nerve-racking to see large groups asking for money," Prefontaine said.
While panhandling is legal in Saskatoon, things like "aggressive" panhandling and asking for change outside an automated teller or bank can result in a ticket.
For example, panhandlers are not allowed to follow people down the street.
Fines for breaking the panhandling bylaw range from $100 for a first offence to $250 for subsequent offences.
Prefontaine said the street patrollers often find it difficult to enforce the bylaw because people are unwilling to give eyewitness statements that would hold up should a ticket be contested in court.
Randy Pshebylo, the head of the Riversdale business improvement district, has long advocated for stricter panhandling laws. He said he still wants to make it illegal to panhandle in front of any business.
"Customers visiting our business districts ultimately need to feel safe getting out of their car and going back to their car. We have an issue and it needs to be dealt with," Pshebylo said.
The street activity steering committee, which governs the street patrol, is planning to send a letter to the city asking for discussions of the bylaw to be reopened.
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Call for panhandling ban outside theatre
