Outdoor Shelter

Thank you to all who attended and provided feedback at the Community Meeting on Tuesday, November 26, 2024. In response to the concerns raised, the following changes will be implemented:

Communication

Beginning in January 2025, monthly Community Advisory Committee Meetings will be hosted by The Working Centre (TWC) to collaborate with community around service improvements. The new Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will have representatives from neighbours, local businesses, Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), Wilmot Fire, and Waste Management. A larger community meeting will be held in March 2025, or at the direction of the CAC, to bring further updates to the full community.

All monthly updates will be posted on the Engage WR page and emailed to the subscriber list.

Good Neighbour Policy

TWC will be implementing a Good Neighbour Policy to effectively address behaviours and accountability of the shelter participants. Please refer to the contact card for more details on who to call for issues. Please continue to report any crimes to WRPS directly.

Acuity, Mental Health and Substance Use

Some shelter participants are experiencing mental health challenges as well as substance use challenges, and present with a high level of acuity. Intakes will consider the level and depth of needs.

Programming at the Shelter

TWC is adding more programming opportunities on and off site, including working with Engage Rural on how they can support participants. According to feedback from participants, they have expressed wanting to get more involved as well. WRPS and TWC are coordinating a bike safety workshop onsite for participants.

TWC is also exploring a sign in/out system for those who leave the shelter after hours, likely between 11:00 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Security

The Region has implemented enhanced security at and around the shelter, including adding more mobile security in the evening. Together with TWC, security is also in contact with WRPS where necessary if a situation arises. Neighbours are encouraged to reference the contact card for more information on who to call for what reason.

Data/Statistics

Both WRPS and TWC will look to bring back aggregate data about the area at the next community information meeting.

Thank you again to those who attending and provided feedback. We will continue to provide updates on the Engage WR page as they become available, including information for the next community information meeting.

We would like to provide an update about the Erb’s Road Hybrid Shelter.

Thank you to all who attended and provided feedback at the Community Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. In response to the concerns raised, the following changes will be implemented.

Good Neighbour Policy

Regional staff and The Working Centre are finalizing a Good Neighbour Policy. This policy will more clearly outline the expectations of shelter participants as community members, explain the actions that will violate this policy (e.g. trespassing, theft from a neighbouring property, etc.) and the resulting consequences.

Staffing and Neighbourhood Calls

We are working with The Working Centre to ensure that calls and concerns about people experiencing homelessness in the neighbourhood are responded to quickly by The Working Centre staff. Our goal is to see that individuals in need of support are connected to available emergency shelter sites.

Mental Health and Substance Use

We are looking at a revision to the intake process to reduce the number of individuals who have higher complexities and needs (e.g., mental health and substance use challenges).

Security

We will increase the presence of security at the site and better communicate our expectations for their role in managing the site. Security staff are intended to provide a safe environment for the residents and staff that are on site at all times and will communicate with WRPS and other emergency services as required.

Community Engagement

There will be two regular avenues established for ongoing community engagement.

First, the current Community Advisory Committee, with representatives from the neighbourhood local businesses, community partners, WRPS and the Region will meet on a monthly basis.

Second, the Region will organize a quarterly community meeting with neighbours and key partners in attendance. Broader notification of the dates and times of these meetings will occur when they have been scheduled.

Communication

We will improve communication with monthly updates posted on the Engage WR page and emailed to the subscriber list, following the monthly community advisory committee meetings.

Based on the feedback and changes above, some of these updates are already happening. Some changes will occur as soon as possible.

We will continue to keep you updated. 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 Erb’s Road Hybrid Emergency Shelter One-Year Evaluation and Recommendations report will be considered at the Community and Health Services Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024. Consideration and discussion at the Committee is part of a two-step process. If approved by the Committee, the report will go onto the Council meeting agenda for final consideration at the Region of Waterloo Council meeting on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

The Erb’s Road report outlines the findings of the one-year evaluation of the site and provides recommendations for future use and is available as part of the CHS agenda.

For more information:

• Watch the live stream or recording of Community and Health Services Committee meeting on the Region’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@regionofwaterloocouncil
• Provide your feedback to the Committee via email to regionalclerk@regionofwaterloo.ca.
• Attend the Committee meeting in person. Committee meetings are held in the Council Chambers at Region of Waterloo, 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener. Start time of the meeting is as indicated on the agenda.
• Information about participating in the meeting as a delegate can be found on the Region of Waterloo website.

Site Tour Update - Registration is Full (Update posted Saturday, April 22, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.)

Thank you to the 180 people who have registered for tours being held on Tuesday, April 25. Registration is full.

If you would like to be added to a Waitlist in case of cancellations, please email us at interimhousingsolutions@regionofwaterloo.ca.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Site Tours for General Public - Tuesday, April 25, 2023

Learn more about the Outdoor Shelter on a 30-minute tour of the site led by representatives of The Working Centre.

Please register for a tour in the Key Dates section of this webpage. Capacity is limited to ensure sufficient parking for attendees.

Work continues at the Outdoor Shelter site on Erb's Road to prepare for a late April opening. Here are a few photographs from the site this week:

Thank you to all those who attended our in-person and virtual community education sessions held on Thursday, January 26 and Tuesday, January 31.

The recording of the virtual session is now available. If your question was not answered live in the virtual session, it will be included in updated FAQs.

Watch for updates on this webpage for future meetings and project updates.