More homeless people moving into housing in Greater Sudbury

Sudbury -

Cory Gould said Wednesday was a very special day to him.

Gould, 45, moved into to own apartment after being homeless for five months, even living in the Memorial Park encampment at one point.

“I don’t have to worry about downtown no more and all the stress that comes with it,” said Gould. “I don’t have to worry about feeling like a degenerate, disgusting person because that’s how it feels to be homeless because people make you feel that way.”

He worked with a housing outreach worker to secure his own apartment. Gould suffers from mental and physical disabilities and said he has substance abuse issues.

“Starting over, maybe go to some rehab or something for my addiction and shit, I don’t know. Start making myself better,” said Gould.

Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre outreach worker Joey McGregor helped Gould with the move.

“It feels awesome to be able to help Cory move into an apartment," McGregor said.

"I have moved Cory many times, from tent to tent, relocated him about three to four times now. And it feels great to see him moving up the ladder getting into housing."

McGregor said he dealt with addiction for 30 years. He has now been clean for 28 months and said it feels great to be giving back and helping people dealing with substance abuse.

“We do have some people housed and I asked them why are they back down in the park," he said.

"And it is because of the loneliness, the boredom in places by themselves. So they do enter back into the park for the day and wander back home, but they still have a place to be warm."

The Homelessness Network said many outreach workers from several agencies are out on the street every day, making connections with the vulnerable population.

More than 30 people have gone from homeless to housed in the last two months.