Saskatoon Open Door Society
National SPRE Accelerator 2025
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Website: https://www.sods.sk.ca/
Contact: Ahmad Majid, manager.development@sods.sk.ca
Mission
The Saskatoon Open Door Society (SODS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to welcoming and supporting refugees and immigrants as they build new lives in Saskatoon. Founded in 1980, SODS helps newcomers become active and engaged members of an inclusive and diverse community. The organization provides a wide range of services, including settlement and employment support, language instruction, translation, family and youth programming, and community engagement initiatives. SODS envisions a city where diversity is celebrated and newcomers participate fully in the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic life of Saskatoon. Guided by values of empowerment, inclusion, respect, equity, and engagement, the organization fosters a sense of belonging and works to build bridges between newcomers and the wider community, including Indigenous peoples, to create a stronger, more connected Saskatoon.
Project
Welcome Place is an affordable housing community spearheaded by SODS to support newcomers, refugees, and vulnerable individuals in Saskatoon. It will include 112 units in a mix of studio, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom designs, accommodating single individuals, couples, and families. The project aims not just to provide housing, but to create a welcoming environment that supports settlement and integration. Alongside housing, residents will access wraparound settlement services: orientation, language support, childcare, employment assistance, cultural bridging programs, and community engagement. By combining safe, stable housing with social supports and connection opportunities, Welcome Place seeks to foster belonging, dignity, and long-term stability for newcomers and others building their lives in Saskatchewan.
In the Accelerator, they will
Complete the project pro-forma, interpret the feasibility study findings, and focus on project financing, including developing a fundraising strategy, creating a funding package, and designing a robust community engagement plan.