Sault Ste. Marie’s Community Resource Centre project is receiving a sizable contribution from the Ontario Government. Around five million dollars is coming from the province to assist in the creation of shelter and transitional beds, which will also come with wrap-around services designed to keep people off the streets for good.
Renovations are well underway at the former Sacred Heart School property downtown, which will house the new Community Resource Centre.
Luke Dufour, chair of the district's Social Services Administration Board, said the centre is the culmination of four years of work to revamp the city’s homeless shelter system.
“With the number of folks that we had living in vacant buildings, back alleyways, decrepit rooming houses, we weren’t doing enough,” said Dufour.
“The system wasn’t able to handle the demand.”
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In addition to shelter beds, the Community Resource Centre will also offer physical and mental health support, among other services. The province is covering roughly half of the $11 million project, which will see the relocation of the emergency men’s shelter at the former Verdi Hall.
The facility is expected to be up and running by June. When it opens, the temporary emergency men’s shelter at the former Verdi Hall will close.
