Temporary shelters project nears completion, donations surpass initial request: Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth

A project to construct and place 20 temporary emergency crisis shelters on church properties within the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, is expected to wrap up in the first two weeks of the new year. (Source: Well Engineered Inc./Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth)

HALIFAX — A project to construct and place 20 temporary emergency crisis shelters on church properties within the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth, is expected to wrap up in the first two weeks of the new year.

So far, 15 of these single occupant shelters have been finished and set up for occupancy at a cost of about $11,500 each.

Originally, the overall cost of the project was pegged at about $230,000, which the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth hoped to raise through donations and private grants.

According to a release, that fund raising goal has been surpassed, with the total, according to the archdiocese, sitting at $336,945.50.

By the end of 2021, 15 of these shelters were delivered and set up, including three in the last week of the year – two of which were placed in Halifax and one at Holy Family Parish of All Saints Church in Amherst.

The remaining five shelters still to be completed by Well Engineered Inc. in Dartmouth are expected to be in place by the middle of January.

The structures are 8’x8’ with metal roofs and siding. The inside is finished with gyprock and linoleum flooring.

Each unit has electricity taken from a nearby building to allow for one USB phone charger, a light, and a small electric heater.

Toilet facilities will be outdoor 'porta-potties.'

The $11,500 price tag for each includes the cost of materials and labour. Well Engineered is providing engineering services, design, and consultation in-kind.

The occupant will be allowed to stay in the shelter until May 31, 2022. The units will be stored after that.

The Halifax Regional Municipality was involved in the design process and fast tracked permits, which required adherence to established regulations to ensure municipal building standards were met.