By Patrick Raftis
GUELPH – With weather dipping to extreme cold levels in recent weeks, efforts are in place to ensure anyone who requires emergency shelter can access it.
Wellington County has partnered with local agencies and emergency responders to create a cold weather protocol to protect those without shelter during periods of extreme cold between November and March each year.
“Despite concerns about shelter capacity issues and a continuing influx of homeless individuals into our community, efforts are in place to ensure that anyone that requires emergency shelter has a place to stay,” states a report titled “Emergency Shelter Capacity and Cold Weather Protocol” from county housing director Ryan Pettipiere.
The report, which was accepted as information at the county’s social service committee meeting in January, states efforts to reduce and eliminate homelessness “continue to be both a challenge and a priority” in Wellington County.
“Locally, much progress has been made in directing efforts to prevention activities rather than emergency responses, however overall capacity in the shelter system continues to be an area closely monitored especially during the winter months,” states Pettipiere in the report, which was accepted by county council on Jan. 31.
The report notes a Point in Time Count conducted in April indicates about 15 per cent of the local homeless population “sleeps rough,” placing them at particular risk over the winter months.
Under the protocol citizens who see someone on the street and in need of assistance are urged to call 911 if they believe the situation is a life-threatening emergency.
If the individual appears to need assistance but not an emergency response, citizens are asked to call HERE 24/7 at 1-844-437-3247, Guelph Police at 519-824-1212 or Wellington County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
The report states the protocol aims to ensure anyone found unsheltered in the city or county during the winter months can access emergency shelter resources. Police and outreach teams have also been provided with winter survival kits to hand out to unsheltered individuals in cold weather.
The County of Wellington financially and administratively supports three emergency shelters with a total of 52 beds as the provincially-designated consolidated municipal service manager for Guelph and Wellington. The three shelters are:
– Dwelling Place (16 beds) for women and children;
– Stepping Stones (22 beds) for men; and
– Wyndham House (14 beds) for youths aged 16 to 24.
All fixed-site shelter beds are located in the City of Guelph. All shelters are staffed overnight and provide access to meals, showers and links to other community services with a focus on securing permanent housing.
In addition to these fixed site beds, several agreements and arrangements are in place with hotels/motels for overflow capacity and in other situations where individuals or families are unable to stay at the shelter.
Additionally, in the City of Guelph there is a 28-bed shelter operated by Women in Crisis for women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence. Though a partner in serving the homeless, this shelter does not receive direct funding for this purpose from the county; it is directly funded by the Ministry of Community and Social Services.
