Homeless support services in North Bay at capacity

Officials with the services in North Bay that help the city's homeless population say they continue to operate at full capacity; including the low-barrier shelter, the daytime warming centre and hotel rooms used to house homeless individuals.

The daytime warming centre has capacity for 40 clients at one time and is regularly nearing capacity. The 21-bed low barrier shelter adjacent to the warming centre and rented hotel rooms for homeless people are full.

Officials have been using hotel rooms for quite some time for homeless people to get them off the streets at night.

The local social services board is planning to open a second phase, including an additional 20-beds, at the Northern Pines transitional housing facility.

Members of the board are meeting with the Ontario Government early next week to discuss funding for further development to eventually replace the low-barrier shelter.

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"They're portables quite frankly and because there is such a large amount of traffic through it, they're wearing out at this point," said District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board chair and North Bay city councillor Mark King.

Dennis Chippa is the executive director of The Gathering Place, a North Bay soup kitchen and community garden space in North Bay. He told CTV News he just wants people to be safe and warm.

“Ya the transitional housing idea is brilliant,” said Chippa.

“We just need more spots."

King said opening another phase would help people get out of the hotels and into transitional housing.