Homelessness is a city-wide crisis. This is why the City of Ottawa established, back in September 2023, the Mayor’s Emergency Shelter Crisis Task force comprised of several City councillors and the Mayor. The purpose of the task force is to address emergency shelter usage in the capital. Over the last year we have seen signs of individuals living in perilous conditions in our own community which highlights that the need is not just happening in the downtown core. Given this situation I have joined the task force to help address the root causes and work to implement effective solutions with our partners.
The city and its partners, such as the Shepherds of Good Hope and the Ottawa Mission, currently provide between 1,800 and 2,000 shelter beds each night. The city estimates that another 280 people are living on the streets, sleeping on benches, sidewalks or “living rough” in tents scattered around the region.
The emergency shelter system has been facing unprecedented demand. The shelter system including overflow spaces added within the City’s Physical Distancing Centres are at capacity. The demand on the system has grown exponentially, driven in large part by a significant and unprecedented impact of global migration. For this the reason, we are making temporary use of Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre as an Emergency Overnight Respite (Warming) Centre.
An Emergency Overnight Respite Warming Centre provides safe, basic overnight space for vulnerable residents needing protection from cold and/or extreme weather such as freezing temperatures, wind chill, and snow accumulation. The purpose is to support those in need seeking relief from the cold, who do not have any other safe place to shelter in order to prevent death or injury from being exposed to the winter elements during the months of December, January and February/and or March which are typically the coldest months in Ottawa.
Activation of the Ron Kolbus site will be assessed daily and operationalize hours will be from 9:00pm to 7:00am. Access to the site will be through referrals from our existing Physical Distancing Centre, and the site will be staffed with Housing Services staff including security for the duration of the activation.
Please note that the activation of the site will be done so as not to effect ongoing programming being offered at Ron Kolbus Lakeside.
As previously reported to the community there is also transitional housing for families being set up at 1 Corkstown Road. This is another example of the city responding to the many needs for immediate housing. We all know that the real solution is permanent homes for all and that will remain the goal.
As Chair of Ottawa Community Housing I have seen the importance of housing for those in need. The homelessness and affordable housing crisis will not be ending any time soon and we need the cooperation of our federal and provincial government partners to recognize the seriousness of the situation and contribute funds to finding solutions.
