Dozens of new transitional housing units announced for Thunder Bay

Dozens of new transitional housing units are being built in Thunder Bay thanks to an influx of Ontario government funding.

The $8.3 million comes from the Homelessness Prevention Program and was allocated by the District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB).

It will go to three organizations to create a total of 66 new transitional housing units:

• $995,000 for the Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario for the creation of 12 transitional housing units in a purchased home on Syndicate Avenue.
• About $3.5 million for the Urban Abbey, which will use the funds to create 38 transitional housing units (four on Machar Avenue, six on Red River Road, and the remainder on Simpson Street).
• $3.8 million for Alpha Court, for the creation of a 16-unit tiny home community on Miles Street East.

"Ten years ago we weren't, as a society, really talking about the need for supportive housing," said Brian Hamilton, city councillor and chair of the TBDSSAB board of directors. "Everyone was just kind of getting in housing.

"It kind of created a bunch of issues where ultimately people weren't successful in that housing," he said. "People do need that step up. They need to be supported on their path to independence.

"So this is a recognition that meeting people where they're at, and helping get people a hand up."

This really helps as we see the numbers grow, particularly in the winter, of people who are needing to utilize the sheltering services. It's allowing them to get safe, secure, reduce their anxiety, pursue education goals, employment goals, and really sets up individuals for success in a way that requires housing- Scotland Morrison, Urban Abbey's head of staff

Scotland Morrison, Urban Abbey's head of staff, said the organization runs two shelters: a women's shelter, and an emergency overflow shelter.

"This really helps as we see the numbers grow, particularly in the winter, of people who are needing to utilize the sheltering services," he said of Tuesday's announcement. "It's allowing them to get safe, secure, reduce their anxiety, pursue education goals, employment goals, and really sets up individuals for success in a way that requires housing."

Morrison said Urban Abbey plans to have eight of the units ready and occupied within a month. The rest are expected to be completed and in use by the end of 2025.

Lindsay Martin, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society, said the organization is "really thrilled to have sort of a turnkey opportunity for people to get housed right away."

"Amidst a housing crisis, I think it's critical to be able to have funding come through our municipality for this," Martin said. "We've got a dedicated team to start working with people."

Martin said the Elizabeth Fry Society also owns a house on Archibald Street that is next door to the new location on Syndicate Avenue; the Archibald Street location is full, with a wait-list.

"This opportunity came at a time which was super important for us," Martin said. "We'll have [the Syndicate Avenue location] full by January 15."

The funding was announced by Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Kevin Holland.

"What's key to these projects is that they're providing those support services to help their residents get moved on that path forward," Holland said. "This is part of the puzzle of the overall investments that have been made into Thunder Bay to really start addressing the problems that we're experiencing.

"We recognized early that we can't just fund one aspect of what the needs are. It really needs to be that wraparound servicing that we're providing funding for."