Local shelter operators are breathing a small sigh of relief after learning they have been given another two-week funding extension, which will allow them to continue the emergency hotel shelter program operating at the Travelodge in Barrie until the end of the month.
Originally set to end June 30, the local organizations learned on June 24 that they would be given until July 15 to transition back to their home emergency shelter locations while they work in collaboration with the County of Simcoe, City of Barrie, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and community service organizations toward finding a "responsible solution." This includes looking at an alternate site to accommodate the increased number of people requiring emergency shelter space in the region.
On Thursday afternoon, shelter officials learned they were being given an additional two weeks and now have until July 31 to make that transition.
In a joint news release from the Busby Centre and the Elizabeth Fry Society Simcoe Muskoka, the organizations say the lifting of most pandemic-related restrictions, COVID funding allocations, specific to sustaining the temporary hotel shelter model, have been decreased and directives from public health officials — as it relates to operations of congregate settings — have been revised. And although both the City of Barrie and the County of Simcoe recently dedicated additional funds to support the transition, they say the cost to operate emergency shelter from hotels is not financially sustainable.
In the meantime, the two organizations say they will continue to seek alternate options in an attempt to stretch available the funding for as long as possible to meet the growing local need.
The two organizations also say they have transitioned regular shelter operations to home locations and, in collaboration with the county, city and Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and community service organizations, are working toward an alternate site — or sites — to properly accommodate the increased number of people requiring emergency shelter space.
There are currently several alternate sites under review and consideration to meet the current need and that will comply with building, zoning and fire code requirements, however the organizations say details will not be shared until a site has been finalized.
Although pandemic-related funding allowed expansion of temporary emergency shelter beds in Barrie, in a joint news release Busby Centre executive director Sara Peddle and Elizabeth Fry Society Simcoe Muskoka executive director Meaghan Chambers say the existing crisis remaining post-pandemic is the lack of attainable, safe, subsidized and supported housing options for people experiencing poverty and homelessness in our community.
Peddle and Chambers did not respond for a request for comment from BarrieToday prior to publication.
Without immediate available housing options or enough alternate emergency shelter beds, their news release says people experiencing homelessness will continue to be forced to live in unsheltered locations forgoing safety and food security, will have limited access to regular basic needs and transitional support to obtain housing and will continue to be subject to bylaw and police enforcement, fines and evictions.
The two local organizations are currently providing emergency shelter to approximately 150 individuals each night in both their home and hotel locations. They served a combined 1,100 unique individuals in 2021, which is more than double of what the organizations served pre-pandemic.
The Busby DETOUR Outreach Team also supports over 56 individuals each week in the community who are living unsheltered and, when possible, are diverting individuals coming from other communities with warm transfers to their origin community or other supports to avoid adding more individuals to an already over capacity system of care.
