The head of an emergency shelter in Thunder Bay anticipates that the completion of the city’s shelter village project will likely not happen this year. The city council had previously approved the Hillyard site in July for the village, which is intended to include 80 sleeping cabins for homeless individuals in the city, along with support services to aid their transition to permanent housing.
However, concerns raised by Coun. Michael Zussino about the lack of nearby support services and public consultation led to a motion to rescind the approval of the Hillyard site, which is set to be discussed and voted on at the council meeting on September 16.
Brendan Carlin, the executive director of Shelter House, expressed that the organization is not making any immediate changes in anticipation of the village’s development, as everything is currently on hold. He mentioned that they are not counting on any assistance this year and will be prepared regardless of the project’s progress in the next few months.
Currently, all activities at the Hillyard location have been halted until a final decision is made by the council. Carlin highlighted that although Shelter House primarily serves as an emergency shelter and the village is transitional housing, there will be some overlapping services, with clients potentially moving between the two facilities.
The demand for shelter beds in Thunder Bay remains high, with the existing shelters consistently at capacity. Carlin emphasized that additional transitional beds in the city would be beneficial, especially for clients who require more support to successfully transition to independent living.
He noted that some clients struggle when moving into housing without adequate support, especially if they have never lived independently before or face challenges related to addiction and mental health issues. Having transitional beds with appropriate support services can significantly increase the chances of these individuals achieving stability and success.
