Federal funding boost lets some Sudbury shelters extend hours

Some shelter and warming-centre providers in Sudbury are looking to expand their services, following a temporary funding boost from the federal government.

Canada has given a bonus cash injection of $436,070 for the city's homelessness service providers, to offer additional supports this winter. The funding must be used by April 30.

Greater Sudbury's manager of housing stability and homelessness, Gail Spencer, said the city's overnight shelter spaces are at capacity. She saidshe has only ever seen the federal government give a boost of this nature during the pandemic.

"This is the first time that we've received this type of incremental funding in the winter, specifically because of the numbers, growing numbers of people living outdoors and encampments in communities across Canada," she said.

The baseline funding, as well as this boost, come from 'Reaching Home,' which is Canada's homelessness strategy. It aims to prevent and reduce homelessness across the country.

Sudbury received $1,464,560 for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to the city. This boost represents about 30 per cent more than the city's baseline funding.

"With the cold weather intensifying, the urgency to address this issue has become paramount," Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe said in a press release.

"The Reaching Home program will help support initiatives to ensure we have shelter for vulnerable people in our community."

Nickel Belt MP Marc Serr said comabatting homelessness remains a top priority for the federal government.

Supporting existing partners

Sudbury has offered the funding to agencies who already provide homelessness services within the city, such as shelters and warming centres, so they can expand their existing programming. The money can only be used on specific priorities, andcannot be used for services like the supervised consumption site.

Spencer said Sudbury has gaps in its homelessness services, including a lack of warming centre spaces overnight and drop-in spaces over the weekends. She said this funding boost will help existing providers add staffing to extend their service hours.

The city has decided supporting existing agencies will be the best way to use the funds before their April expiry.

"We want to make sure that they have access to indoor warming centre spaces, access to meals, access to daytime drop-in and, really, just supports."

Sudbury is also working with two community partners to open overnight warming spaces. Spencer said those should be announced soon.

According to the city's figures, there are 114 people living outdoors and in encampments at 30 different locations. Spencer said that is the largest number Sudbury has ever seen.

Funding already making a difference

One of the service providers using the extra funding is the Elizabeth Fry Society of Northeastern Ontario, which operates Safe Harbour House. It's a 10-bed shelter, funded by the city, that's tailored to women and gender-diverse people aged 19 and older.

Executive director Cory Roslyn said the extra funding would bring major benefits to its clients, provided it can find staff to work the extra hours.

"Capacity to staff the shelters in general, even with the regular hours, has been a challenge over the time that we've been open," she said.

Spencer said that was an issue for many social service agencies in the city.

However, Safe Harbour House has already tested out extended hours at its facility. It normally operates from 9 p.m. until 8 a.m., but on Jan. 10 it allowed clients to stay there an extra four hours, until noon. It hopes to offer extended hours whenever it can get the staffing to do so.

"What we're trying to do is avoiding people having to be out in that cold, windy, wet weather," Roslyn said.

Both Spencer and Taylor agreed that, while the funding is a major help, shelters cannot be a long-term solution. They said affordable housing, and supports to go along with it, will help fulfil the basic human rights and dignity of people experiencing homelessness.