Toronto officials reveal where 6 new homeless shelters will be built | CBC News

Toronto plans to build six new homeless shelters in the coming years, city officials announced Wednesday, hours before warming centres were set to open to help vulnerable people get indoors before temperatures plunge.

The city plans to open two of the 80-person shelters by 2027 and the remainder by 2030. Here’s where they’ll be located:

• 1615 Dufferin St. (just south of St. Clair Avenue West) — set to open in 2027.
• 2535 Gerrard St. E. (east of Victoria Park Avenue) — set to open in 2027.
• 2024-2212 Eglinton Ave. W. (near Caledonia Road).
• 68 Sheppard Ave. (just west of Yonge Street).
• 66 Third St. (near Lake Shore Boulevard and Islington Avenue).
• 1220 Wilson Ave. (near Humber River Hospital).   

Gord Tanner, head of shelter and support services for the city, told reporters Wednesday that the locations were chosen in order for the shelter system to support areas with “significant need” and focus on serving certain groups or communities. 

“Homelessness is experienced in all parts of the city and these sites reflect that we are looking in every ward of this city for these important services,” he said.

The city has hired third-party consultants to engage with the communities in which the new shelters will be located, to ensure they are fully integrated in the neighbourhoods, Tanner added.

Coun. Amber Morley said one of the shelter sites is in her neighbourhood, and community engagement is imperative to help people who will use the shelters thrive.

“These are critical to building a sense of community safety and stability for all of our residents,” she said. “We urgently need to expand shelter capacity in a way that reflects the specific needs of each neighbourhood and its residents.”

The city has added more temporary shelter spaces, warming centres and respite sites this winter, but city data shows there are about 225 people per night who can’t find a shelter bed as of October.

As of Dec. 9, there were 11,476 people staying in the city’s entire shelter system, city data shows 

Warming centres open at 5 p.m. 

Meanwhile, the city will open four existing warming centres as of 5 p.m. Wednesday as cold weather arrives. The city opens warming centres when temperatures drop below -5 C.  There is one additional “surge site” for when temperatures reach -15 C, but the city isn’t planning to open it Wednesday. 

The warming centres can be found at: 

• 136 Spadina Rd. (south of Dupont St.)
• 81 Elizabeth St. (behind City Hall. West of Bay St., south of Dundas St. W.)
• 12 Holmes Ave. (Off of Yonge St., south of Finch Ave. E.)
• 885 Scarborough Golf Club Rd. (East of Markham Rd., south of Ellesmere Rd.)

The city said walk-ins are welcome at the warming centres and that if one is full, it will arrange for transportation to another. 

The city is also opening two additional warming centres this winter, bringing the total across the city up to seven. 

Metro Hall, located downtown, will be available as a warming centre as of Dec. 20 with 30 spaces when temperatures drop below -5 C.

Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre on Queen Street E. will be available as a warming centre as of Saturday. It will also offer 30 spaces, but will only open when temperatures drop below -15 C.