A direct question about when a temporary shelter at 20 Rose St., in Barrie, will be operational got a fuzzy answer Wednesday night.
Following a presentation by officials with the County of Simcoe about the 50-bed shelter for the homeless, Coun. Craig Nixon asked the question.
“Do we have a date when this will be open?" he asked. “Originally, we were looking at several weeks ago, then obviously it got backed up a bit. How close are we?”
Greg Bishop, the county’s general manager of social and community services, answered.
“Well, we’re getting very close,” he said. “Obviously, it requires a number of things that are not fully within our control, like … the electrical safety authority is coming in to do an inspection shortly.
“All of the providers have been really recognizing the priority and the direction received make this a priority,” Bishop added. “We are anticipating submitting an application for occupancy hopefully (Thursday) afternoon. If not it, will be Friday morning.”
He said the light standards were up and running Wednesday night.
Nixon said any progress is good news on the modular facility, which is located near Highway 400 and Bayfield Street.
“I think we all agree that this is going to save lives and it’s very important,” he said. “It’s getting cold out there and it’s definitely necessary and hopefully come (Thursday) we get that sign and people will be able to stay warm.”
How this facility will affect residents in that neighbourhood is unknown, but they are aware of its coming.
“There is large concern with residents,” said Deputy Mayor Robert Thomson. “Can you guarantee that we are not creating more capacity, that we are not becoming a regional hub (for the homeless)?”
“This is really to augment the existing shelter system and enhance that (bed) capacity,” Bishop said.
Barrie’s shelters include private and not-for-profit facilities, such as Elizabeth Fry Society, serving women and gender-diverse individuals, the Salvation Army Bayside Mission for men, the Busby Centre, and Youth Haven, which is for young people aged 16 to 24 years old.
County council approved the plan to build a temporary homeless shelter with 50 more beds in modular structures on the former Barrie OPP detachment site on Rose Street.
The project is a $1.2-million collaboration between the City of Barrie and County of Simcoe — $800,000 came from the county’s social services reserve and the city contributed $400,000 from its reinvestment reserve.
Its purpose is to increase the number of overnight shelter beds available to homeless individuals during the coldest months of the year and connect individuals to services and supports. This is a temporary shelter facility for the 2022-23 winter season and not intended to be a permanent location. Operations are anticipated to cease by spring 2023.
The temporary shelter is to be operated by the Busby Centre, seven days a week, from early evening to mid-morning. On-site security will be available during operating hours.
Barrie has 152 shelter beds. Bunk beds were purchased and administrative spaces in shelters were converted to accommodate additional beds — 11 more beds for Elizabeth Fry Society and 20 more beds for the Busby Centre. Shelter administration staff are making temporary use of county office space.
As of Monday, Barrie’s shelters had 21 unused beds.
In addition to the temporary shelter and its 50 beds, the county is delivering additional projects including a warming centre in Barrie. Operated by John Howard Society at Collier Street United Church, it opens when the Environment Canada forecast is for temperatures of minus-15 Celsius or colder and is available seven days a week, 9 p.m. until 8:30 a.m., but only when these weather conditions are met.
There are also more permanent facilities, including the supportive housing project on Tiffin Street, with 14 beds, and additional capacity at Lucy’s Place on Essa Road, with six more beds for a total of 24.
How many people will need shelter in Barrie this winter is unknown.
From Jan. 23-25, 2022, the County of Simcoe counted 722 people who were homeless during its annual enumeration. Of those, 441 people completed surveys and 50 per cent were from Barrie.
The Rose Street site is also earmarked for a future affordable housing development. It includes two wings of 10 and eight storeys with 150 affordable and social housing apartments for seniors, families and individuals, Ontario Works offices and children services, along with other social and community supportive uses. Construction could begin as early as spring 2024.
For more information, visit simcoe.ca/findshelter.
