New permanent emergency shelter in Waterloo region part of plan to end chronic homelessness

Waterloo region needs a new, permanent, long-term emergency shelter to help the growing number of people experiencing homelessness in the community, a report to regional councillors says.

As well, regional staff are recommending a second hybrid, managed shelter be set up early in 2024, modelled off the current tiny home shelter located on Erbs Road.

These two recommendations were among several in an interim report into the region's plan to end chronic homelessness, which was presented at the community and health services committee meeting Tuesday.

"Since March of 2020, regional staff and partners have opened and implemented 17 new shelters across Waterloo region. That's one every two-and-a-half months," the region's commissioner of community services Peter Sweeney told council when speaking about the need for a new, permanent shelter.

"This constant … whack-a-mole approach to finding shelters — supporting those as winter arrives every year, as it does — is disruptive to neighbourhoods, it is disruptive to our staff teams, to our partners and most importantly, to the people we're trying to serve."

The report comes with a large price tag. Staff are recommending adding more than $11 million to the housing services operating budget — a figure not included in the preliminary 2024 budget numbers until now.

Of that, $3.2 million would be funded from the region's tax stabilization reserve fund and $7.9 million would be part of the property tax levy. That's just for 2024.

More money — a preliminary figure of $15.9 million was suggested — would be needed in 2025.

North Dumfries Mayor Sue Foxton called the funding request "a tough pill to swallow."

"It's a lot of money. But this is a tough time and the worst of times," Foxton said.

During an interview with CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition on Tuesday before the meeting, regional Coun. Jim Erb said it's a lot of money, "we can't afford not to do it."

LISTEN: Regional Coun. Jim Erb discusses regional report on plan to end chronic homelessness:

Wilmot Mayor Natasha Salonen pushed back on the report, saying she failed to see how it meshed with the federal government's Housing First program. Through the program, the region can receive funding for different projects.

"Housing First involves moving people experiencing homelessness, particularly experiencing chronic homelessness, rapidly from street or emergency shelters into stable and long-term housing with supports," she said.