Timmins brings in specialist to help city achieve plan to end homelessness

Social service officials in Timmins are working on a plan to end homelessness by 2025, which has included the hiring of a world- renowned consultant from Sault Ste. Marie.

They said that's been helpful as they learn new ways of helping each individual, but it's a learning process.

Two years ago, 50 people were housed within 90 days, however, for some, it didn't work out.

“We learned from that, that requires an intense commitment after the fact and we just didn’t have the resources to be able to do that,” said Brian Marks, of the Cochrane District Social Services Board

“There were a number -- I think it was between 15 and 20 per cent -- that over the next year, year and a half, you know, were unable to retain that housing.”

Marks said while there are a variety of supports in place to help people in need, more government funding and programs are required to prevent it from happening.

“Who is thinking about the 10-year-old right now who is couch surfing or the children who are aging out of care in our child and youth system?” he said.

“We need to be thinking upstream on the kinds of public health strategies and education strategies and early childhood strategies and parenting strategies to make sure that we avoid the issues that lead to someone becoming homeless.”

Marks said the consultant is coming back in the New Year to assist new mayors and councils along the Highway 11 corridor and he's looking forward to continuing to work on the plan to end homelessness.