Local shelters brace for higher demand as temperatures drop
With the winter months fast approaching, some local shelters fear they won’t have the capacity to accommodate everyone who comes to their door.
“There’s always the concern that the need is greater than the availability,” said Oneroof Youth Services CEO Sandy Dietrich-Bell.
Oneroof Youth Services is one of five regionally funded emergency shelters across Kitchener and Cambridge.
The facility offers 72 beds for anyone aged 16 to 25 but regularly reaches capacity.
“[Friday night] our shelter is booked, and I think we’ve got four people spoken for beds in the overflow,” Dietrich-Bell told CTV News
Abla Tsolu is YW Kitchener-waterloo’s director of homelessness and housing services. She says as temperatures fall, the demand for beds will rise.
“It does put a little bit of pressure on shelter systems,” Tsolu said.
Oneroof says it’s taken in youths living at the Victoria Street encampment, looking to escape the elements.
“As the weather continues to get colder, that encampment situation is going to be less and less attractive,” Dietrich-Bell said. “Some youth are spending their days at the encampment, and then coming to us to sleep.”
Officials say all of the shelters coordinate to make more space available for those who need it, but the next few months expect to be even more challenging
“December, January, February, I’m anticipating that our shelter will be full and our overflow beds will be full as well,” Dietrich-Bell said.
According to the Region of Waterloo, the new House of Friendship facility on Weber Street is set to open in January. The shelter will offer 100 spaces, compared to its current capacity of 26.
There will be 50 new beds at the YW Kitchener-Waterloo Frederick Street location by the end of the month.
As part of the interim housing solutions strategy, 50 spaces will become available in the hybrid outdoor shelter model by the start of next year.
Some 24-hour services will also be expanded in the new year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Foreign meddling 'did not affect' overall federal election results: inquiry report
A federal commission of inquiry says foreign interference by China did not affect the overall results of the 2019 and 2021 general elections won by Justin Trudeau's Liberals.
TD penalties expected to be higher on alleged drug money laundering link: analyst
A banking analyst says TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake recorded west of Vancouver Island
A 4.8-magnitude earthquake was reported west of Vancouver Island Thursday evening.
How falling for a stranger she met on a beach led this woman to ditch the U.S. for the French Riviera
Niki Benjamin, from the U.S., had travelled to a paradise island to do some soul searching, and her life ended up going in a very different direction when her dog ran up to a stranger.
Biscuits with possible plastic pieces, metal found in ground pork: Here are the recalls for this week
Here are the latest recalls Canadians should watch out for, according to Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Bowness, Tocchet, Brunette named finalists for NHL's coach of the year award
Rick Bowness of the Winnipeg Jets, Rick Tocchet of the Vancouver Canucks and Andrew Brunette of the Nashville Predators are the finalists for this season's Jack Adams Award.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Princess Anne to take part in B.C. ceremony bringing new ship into Pacific fleet
Western Canada's first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel will officially be brought into the Pacific fleet today and Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is scheduled to take part in its commissioning ceremony.
BREAKING Winnipeg man accused of killing four women will be tried by jury
A Winnipeg man accused of killing four Indigenous women will have his case heard by a jury.