Collingwood councillors voted to dip into some of its provincial cash to help fund an emergency homeless shelter for the winter months.
Council agreed, unanimously, to provide Out of the Cold Collingwood with $75,000 for the 2019/2020 winter season.
The non-profit group approached council earlier this year to ask for a commitment of $90,000 per year for three years to cover the costs of a part-time co-ordinator and two full-time equivalent positions to oversee the temporary shelter operations.
The goal is to have an emergency shelter open by November of this year where those without shelter can take refuge overnight in a warm and safe environment.
According to Out of the Cold Collingwood chairperson, Marg Scheben-Edey, finalizing a venue and hammering out the other details will occur once the program funding is secured.
“We are grateful to the Town of Collingwood for understanding and taking action on the crisis of homelessness in our community. Because of their decision, and with further support from the community at large, we expect to have the first overnight emergency shelter operational this winter,” said Scheben-Edey in a press release by Out of the Cold Collingwood.
Deputy Mayor Keith Hull brought forward the motion to support the endeavour with $75,000 at last night's (July 22) council meeting.
"When we have a heatwave ... we simply open up facilities ... to ensure public safety is looked after. We make sure we have cooling centres, we make sure the public have access to washrooms and water," said Hull. "In general, when it comes to those who are most vulnerable through our most severe conditions - those being the winter months - there seems to be some reservation as to whose responsibility - who funds and supports these types of programs."
Council did not approve any additional funding for subsequent years, instead, the motion passed included a clause to consider further funding as part of the town's budget deliberations.
When asked about a source for the funds, CAO Fareed Amin told council it would be best taken from provincial funds allocated to the town earlier this year. Though there has yet to be a staff report with suggestions on how to spend the nearly $600,000 announced in March, Amin said there is one pending.
"I want people to know this is not a taskforce of people who have come together with best intentions to solve a problem," said Hull. "These are people who have already come together, and have spent considerable hours to recognize a problem and draft a plan of execution in terms of how they can address this need in a short term basis."
According to the press release by Out of the Cold Collingwood, the group has turned its attention toward further fundraising in order to open the shelter in four months.
The non-profit is looking for a volunteer to be primarily responsible for fundraising. Interested applicants can email Marg Scheben-Edey.
If you’d like to make a donation to support Out of the Cold Collingwood, or if you’d be interested in donating time as a volunteer who would primarily be needed for overnight shifts, contact Pamela Hillier, executive director of Community Connection at [email protected] or 705-444-0040, ext. 234.
Online donations can be made through Community Connection’s profile at canadahelps.org.
Donors can apply their donation to Out of The Cold Collingwood and charitable tax receipts are received by email immediately.
The group has also recently launched its Facebook page, with a new website in the works.
The Out of the Cold Collingwood program is run under the umbrella of Community Connection with support from the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness.
