New report finds dozens of homeless people are staying in North Bay motels

A new report presented to the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board says there are dozens of homeless people currently staying in motels.

The report, presented by the Crisis Centre of North Bay, is a one-month sample survey from mid-March to mid-April. It found there are more than 50 homeless people staying in motels.

Many travelled from other Ontario cities like Sudbury, Barrie, Hamilton and Ottawa, looking for a permanent housing solution.

"I was a little startled at the number,” said board chair Mark King. “Although we do have plans to work through the numbers in the motels."

King said there are only eight transitional units open at Northern Pines, a transitional housing option on Chippewa Street to help the homeless find permanent housing. The bottom floor of the building has 28 units for what King describes as “high intensive care” to help people struggling with the effects of mental health addictions.

While the top floor has of 26 spots for transitional housing, King said the pandemic has exposed the facility’s understaffing issues.

"It's been ongoing because of COVID," he said.

"We've offered support in any way we can to have staffing be up to where it should be to provide that support housing … On top of that, the low-barrier shelter hopefully by fall will house people 24/7 so they won't be out on the street."

King touts the work the board and crisis centre is doing with the Community Advisory Board. The board is made up of several community organizations, including the City of North Bay, Low Income People Involvement of Nipissing, the Canadian Mental Health Association North Bay and District among others.

"I don't think it's overly shocking just being a part of the community advisory board,” said CMHA’s Housing program manager Chris Wyness.

“The pandemic has definitely underscored the inequities amongst that population."

The CMHA touts its housing program, which has been successful in helping the most vulnerable find a place to go.

“We have a lot of supportive housing for people that suffer from addictions and mental health and we have specialized housing that supports the harm reduction approach," said Maxine Gareau, CMHA’s director of Mental Health Addictions and Peer Support.

The board’s long-term plan is to use the low-barrier shelter to address overflow concerns.