Waterloo Region says new homeless shelter a 1-year pilot

Waterloo Regional council met Tuesday to hear the latest on plans to partner with the YWCA to open a new homeless shelter that would provide a place to sleep for 50 guests, seven days a week starting in November. 

The YWCA Kitchener-Waterloo announced plans to open the new shelter and said the facility would be bankrolled by the region. 

Regional staff said the new facility would be funded through the existing 2014 budget, and would be a one-year pilot project, but declined to provide specific costs. 

"We will look at how successful we have been in moving people onto stabilized housing and from there we'll assess whether the program will continue to be needed or whether we want to make other changes within the shelter system itself," said Douglas Bartholomew-Saunders, commissioner of social services for the region. 

The move comes after five sites closed their doors to the Out of the Cold voluntary winter shelter program, leaving a gap in services for the region's homeless population.

Regional Councillor Tom Galloway said the new service at Mary's Place will help make the transition away from Out of the Cold smoother. 

"This is going to be a little bit of a hybrid type shelter as I understand it, run by Mary's Place but more in the style of Out of the Cold," he said.

Council only has a month to make up its mind before the program is scheduled to start. 

"The season is getting really close to be upon us. It sounds like a positive thing and hopefully the regional council will get the information on it and make a quick decision," said Galloway. 

The new shelter will have 50 beds available from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every day, starting in November and lasting until May.