Community leaders in Thunder Bay react to halting of SOS program, one calls it a 'distressing' loss

Community organizers and leaders in Thunder Bay, Ont, are responding to the permanent shutdown of Shelter House's Street Outreach Services (SOS) program, and raising concerns about increased pressure on other outreach organizations in its absence. 

Shelter House announced last week the SOS program — which offered support to Thunder Bay's homeless and most vulnerable population — was shutting down permanently due to a lack of funding.

The program has been in operation since 2014.

"We were pretty upset," said Holly Gauvin, executive director of Elevate NWO. "Like so many others, our program relies on the SOS program to help us support people who need to get from place to place, to get from service to service.

"They were such a valuable asset and partner, and so it's actually really distressing to see that service come to an end after so many great years of service to our community."

Despite feeling upset about the fate of the SOS program, Gauvin said she wasn't surprised to hear about its cancellation. 

"There's been some good supports put in place during the pandemic to help support those of us who are working on the ground, working on the front lines," she said. "But, over the last year or so, those sources are starting to dry up and we're starting to really struggle, in particular in our response to those who are unsheltered."

Gauvin said the Elevate NWO warming centre has yet to secure funding for the upcoming season, and she fears other programs are on the verge of a similar outcome.

"Those organizations that truly, truly meet people where they're at, they're all struggling for funding right now."

Gauvin said people who are homeless, living in shelters or precariously housed rely on programs like SOS to access services during the day, especially if paying bus fare isn't an option.

"Sometimes people are in that in-between category, where they may not need an ambulance service, but they definitely do need some support and assistance in order to even make it through the doors of a service or a program."

In Elevate's case, Gauvin said SOS would often bring people to their organization if they needed support or even just a a warm meal. Elevate would then be able to call SOS when we had somebody who needed to get to the hospital or to another location for care.

'2-pronged approach' needed

In an interview with CBC News last week, Shelter House executive director Cal Rankin said the agency has been struggling with staffing, as well as funding, and needs to focus on providing its core services.

Rankin said the SOS program cost about $327,000 per year to operate.

"This type of service is important, but at the same time, I think it's a bit of a band-aid solution," Rankin said of the SOS program. "The real thing that is required to resolve our issue of homelessness is housing, and we need specifically housing that will meet the needs of a population that can be tough to serve."

Gauvin agreed with the need for supportive housing in Thunder Bay.

"But I do think there is still an important role around these programs, because there's that linkage piece that's still needed," she said.

"The problem is ... our staff are reaching out to what to do what? If there's no resource at the end of the day all we're doing is giving false hope. So I really do think that it's a two pronged approach. One is increase our social housing and the other is step up our game around outreach and connection."

The SOS program's closure was also a concern for Thunder Bay police.

"This is unfortunate news for the city, and especially so for the most vulnerable members of this community who rely on this valuable service," Acting Chief Dan Taddeo told CBC News in a statement. "The work of the Shelter House Thunder Bay, including programing outside of SOS initiative, remains incredibly important especially now that colder months are arriving."

Click the link to hear Cal Rankin, the Executive Director of Shelter House Thunder Bay, on Superior Morning.