Canadian Mental Health to run Sudbury's emergency overnight winter shelter; Salvation Army turned down

The City of Greater Sudbury has left The Salvation Army out in the cold when it comes to operating itsovernight emergency winter shelter at 200 Larch Street.

The Salvation Army inSudburyhas run the shelter for the city since itfirst began the program in December 2014. It was called the Out of the Cold shelter, but had to be renamed a low barrier shelter due to another program with the Out of the Coldtitle.

This fall, the city issued request for proposals to operate the low barrier shelter.A low barrier shelter allows those who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol to have a place to go during the overnight hours in the winter.

Both the Salvation Army and theCanadian Mental Health Association of Sudbury-Manitoulinput in bids.

The city awarded the contract totheCMHA. TheCMHA Sudbury-Manitoulinhas never run a shelter before.

Chief Executive Officer,Marion Quigley, says they do have staff who have worked in shelter services before and they have experience operating housing programs.

Quigley says CMHAis currently in the process of hiringsix new staff members for the shelter. Once those workers arein place, she hopes the shelter can open by late November.

The overnight emergency shelter will be open nightly from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. through until mid April.