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North Bay’s warming centre operating at limited hours due to staff sickness

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Staff at North Bay's daytime warming centre is battling through sickness and that has resulted in a reduction of hours at the shelter.

The Warming Centre on Fraser Street in North Bay in January 2024. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board chairperson Mark King confirmed with CTV News the shelter, located on Fraser Street, first closed on Wednesday due to an illness affecting staff and that the shelter had to restrict the number of people going in and out to prevent the spread.

“It was a direct result of staffing shortage,” said King.

The daytime shelter was back open Thursday – but only until only noon due to staff shortages.

There is now an alternate plan in place to bring people in from out of the cold.

"The Gathering Place on Cassells Street will stay open until, I believe about 8 p.m. tonight, and that will take the place of The Warming Centre,” King said.

Staff from The Gathering Place soup kitchen oversee operations inside the shelter.

At this time, King said staff are taking it day-by-day to figure out the schedule to determine when the shelter will be back to full operation.

“Staff actually were in discussion until late this afternoon to find some sort of indication of what it will look like,” he said.

King told CTV News in December he received several complaints from area businesses about the shelter and the number of transient people in the area.

He said that the city will have no choice but to find a new location next winter. The Warming Centre services between 70 - 90 people every day.

“The numbers were reduced because there was too much transient traffic going on,” said King.

“It was my understanding they were trying to cycle people in and out of The Warming Centre to allow people the opportunity to get warm.”

Officials said the warming centre is providing vulnerable people with a warm safe place to stay during the day as well as providing meals.

The shelter operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

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