Who will pay if Timmins homeless shelter relocates?

The Cochrane District Social Services Administration board of directors is hiring a consultant for advice after being asked to consider moving the Living Space homeless shelter out of a residential area.

The decision was made at a meeting Tuesday, after Timmins city council asked them to consider a new location for the shelter. However, they want the City of Timmins to pay for the review and analysis.

City Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic said it’s important that the public have a say in the process.

“I’m going to be asking to make sure that we’re included in the terms of reference and that the public has engagement in the process, not just these organizations and consultants," Gvozdanovic said.

"We’ve had consultants working on this for years and look at us.”

Gvozdanovic is not a member of the administration board, but Coun. John Curley is. He told CTV News he agreed to give the board an extension from 90 days to six months to come up with a plan, but is concerned that the board expects the city to pay for the review and the cost of relocating the shelter if it comes to that.

“That’s a big concern because that would be a direct cost to the taxpayers of the City of Timmins, whatever the amount might be,” Curley said.

“This is not a City of Timmins issue, this is a Cochrane District issue because we have homeless people from all over and from probably from southern Ontario.”

Curley added that several councillors favoured asking the city to foot the bill, including Andrew Marks, Cory Robin, Rock Whissell and Mayor Michelle Boileau.

He said councillors Lorne Feldman and Kristin Murray were absent from the meeting.

Curley wondered how councillors will react, especially since council voted unanimously in favour to ask the administration board to move the shelter, with the exception of Boileau, who is also chair of the administration board.

"I believe it’s a DSSAB issue along with the province, but it’s definitely not a Timmins taxpayer issue," said Curley.

CTV News contacted both Mayor Boileau and Brian Marks, the CAO of the administration board, but was told they were unavailable for comment.