King Street Emergency Shelter Update

I would like to update you on the King Street Emergency Shelter at 1668 King St. East in Kitchener.

The Region of Waterloo opened the site in September 2022 in response to the urgent need to provide emergency shelter for 100 individuals experiencing homelessness. At the time of its opening, we anticipated needing the King Street location for approximately 18 to 24 months, pending redevelopment of the property and identifying a more suitable solution for emergency shelter support.

After careful consideration, we have determined that we will need to extend operations at the King Street site past June 2024 but no later than March 31, 2025. The site will be required for redevelopment at that time. No additional extensions beyond March 2025 will be considered.

The decision to extend was not made lightly. However, continuing to use the site for the next several months is essential while we finalize our search for a long-term location for an emergency shelter.

Chronic homelessness (homelessness lasting for more than six months) has risen by 129 percent since 2020, with more than 550 people currently experiencing chronic homelessness in our community. If the current pace of growth continues, this number will triple by 2028.

We need to continue offering these 100 spaces of emergency shelter while implementing critical improvements to the local housing stability system. These improvements will help to move more individuals from homelessness into permanent housing.

We acknowledge there have been concerns and challenges about the presence of the shelter in the neighbourhood. We are committed to finding ways to ensure this is a community where everyone has access to shelter and feels safe in their neighbourhood.

The Engage WR King Street Emergency Shelter website is updated with information, and we will host a meeting for neighbours on the week of May 20th so that we may share more information and learn more from you. More information will follow.

If you have questions or comments:

Thank you for your ongoing patience and support while we work to address this complex issue in our community.

Sincerely,

Peter Sweeney