Greater Sudbury funds two overnight warming centres for the homeless

With shelters at capacity and a need to keep people warm as winter nears, Greater Sudbury is funding two overnight warming centres this fall and winter.

A more permanent initiative providing programming that could lead to permanent housing for some will also open early next year.

Gail Spencer, the Greater Sudbury's manager of housing stability and homelessness, said they know of 212 people living in encampments across 42 locations in the city. (Alana Everson/CTV News)

A trailer at Energy Court was originally scheduled to open Nov. 1 as an overnight warming centre, but the city said due to administrative delays, the goal now is to open by the end of November.

Gail Spencer, the city's manager of housing stability and homelessness, said the number of people without housing is growing.

"Currently we know of 212 people living in encampments across 42 locations," Spencer said.

"This continues to increase and we know that there is a need for people to have a safe warm place to go this winter."

The overnight centre is in addition to one at the Samaritan Centre that opened Oct. 1.

City officials said the centres are being funded by the city until the end of April at a cost of just under $1 million.

"Always our goal is to fund longer-term … more permanent transitional housing supports," Spencer said.

"Although warming centres are an important part of … how we connect with people … we do like to have funding that is focused on longer-term housing solutions."

Transitional housing project

The city said construction on the Lorraine Street Transitional Housing Project continues and it’s expected to open sometime in the first quarter of 2025.

"As a transitional housing program, it’s not intended to be permanent," Spencer said.

"People can stay there for up to 18 to 24 months while they stabilize, they participate in programming, they improve their health and well-being. The goal is that then they will be able to transition out into the community."

The transitional housing project will offer 40 units and the highest level of support housing the city has ever offered for chronically homeless people dealing with mental health and substance issues.

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The city said it’s up to the client if they want to enter the program.

"It provides a lot of ... clinical support through registered nurses, addiction medicine specialists, psychiatry, and it is really intended for people (who) need that extra support to get housed and stay housed," said Spencer.

City officials said one of the top priorities is working towards recommendations in the Roadmap to End Homelessness by 2030 approved by city council in May.