Growing demand prompts Sydney shelter to move into bigger location

The only emergency homeless shelter in Sydney, N.S., has moved to a bigger and better location.

The Community Homeless Shelter moved from Margaret Street to Townsend Street and opens Monday night.

"It's doubling our space," said Fred Deveaux, executive director of Cape Breton Community Housing, which owns and operates the shelter.

The number of beds will increase from 18 to 28 and there is room for cots if more beds are needed.

The move, which was cost-shared between Housing Nova Scotia, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Cape Breton Community Housing, comes in response to a growing need.

"It's bad out there," said Christine Porter, executive director at the Ally Centre of Cape Breton, an organization that serves people with mental health, addictions and homelessness issues.

"We've come to work with people sleeping under our steps," she said. "One gentlemen was in our driveway on a chair just totally covered in blankets."

Prior to a year ago, the Community Homeless Shelter took in men only. Since it went co-ed last December, it has seen its client numbers almost double.

"It's very difficult to find affordable housing right now in this community. We have very low vacancy rates and people are living in poverty ... they can't always afford rent and amenities and food and everything else that goes along with having independent housing," said Deveaux.

The former shelter was located in an old, repurposed house and was "very cramped," said Deveaux.

The 11 beds for men were consistently filled, said shelter supervisor Tamiesha Emanuel.

"Unfortunately, not having the space, we've had to turn some men away," she said.

The new building is split into two wings — male and female — each with its own kitchen, living room, laundry facilities and separate secure entrance.

Each wing has seven rooms and two beds in each room, plus space to add cots if demand is great.

An elevator will be installed in the coming months, making the building fully accessible.

'It's going to be great'

The shelter will also have housing support workers on-site to help people find affordable long-term housing and connect them with other support services.

"I'm really happy that it's going to be in this area, in the vicinity here, because we share a lot of clients," said Porter. "It's going to be great."

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