GUELPH – Thanks to the collaborative efforts of multiple organizations and levels of government, 28 people who might otherwise be homeless will soon have a place to call home.
Though residents will not start moving in until the end of the month, representatives from Wellington County, Guelph, the federal government and various social service organizations gathered on Feb. 19 to celebrate the official opening of the 65 Delhi St. Transitional Housing Facility.
Everyone who spoke at the event emphasized the collaboration involved in bringing the vision for the facility to life.
“Today’s grand opening marks a significant achievement in our collective efforts in addressing homelessness,” said county councillor David Anderson, vice-chair of the joint social services and land ambulance committee, and master of ceremonies for the grand opening event.
The facility, in a renovated historic building the county acquired in 2021, is meant to provide a type of intermediate housing between emergency shelter and permanent housing.
It will be operated by Thresholds Homes and Supports – a not-for-profit offering a range of mental health and addiction services and programs, supportive housing and more – and will provide 24/7 wrap-around support services.
“With the opening of 65 Delhi, the county and the city continue the very important work of homelessness prevention,” city councillor and chair of the joint social services committee Linda Busuttil said in her opening remarks.
“Very soon 28 members of our community will have a place to call home and receive the critical supports they need to secure and maintain stable long-term housing.”
Busuttil went on to express gratitude to everyone who worked to make the project possible.
“I believe that it is through our hope, commitment and collective efforts that we will move closer to a future where everyone in Wellington County and Guelph will have a place to call home,” she said.
County Warden Chris White said he is proud of the leadership role the county and city took on in making the facility a reality.
But he also acknowledged other levels of government, saying the county, city and provincial and federal governments have together spent more than $10.6 million on the project.
“Together, we are showing what’s possible when all levels of government and community organizations work hand-in-hand to support individuals experiencing homelessness,” White said.
Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie offered a “massive thank you for the collaboration that went into this effort,” but he also expressed some frustration at the length of time it took to complete the project.
“We should have been doing this a year ago. But we didn’t, because of NIMBY,” said Guthrie.
He was referencing an Ontario Land Tribunal challenge by neighbourhood residents that he said delayed the project for almost a year before it was eventually dismissed in 2022.
The NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude “means that 28 people that could have been housed for a year weren’t,” he said.
His remarks were acknowledged by Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield, who spoke about the federal government’s efforts to develop a national housing strategy and to fund affordable housing.
County councillor David Anderson, left, listens as Warden Chris White speaks during the opening of the 65 Delhi St. Transitional Housing Facility on Feb. 19. Photo by Jessica Lovell
“Projects like this take a lot of money and a lot of effort,” Longfield said, earning some applause from the crowd when he noted the federal government spent $4.5 million on the project.
“We face headwinds in a lot of ways,” Longfield said.
But he noted that once the community sees how positive the project is, they will understand “this isn’t a project that puts neighbourhoods at risk; it actually strengthens neighbourhoods.”
Architect Paul Sapounzi of VG Architects got slightly choked up as he spoke about the project.
“This project is very near to my heart because of certain family members I have who have experienced vulnerability,” he said.
He called Canada a country that values compassion and inclusivity.
“As Canadians, we know that the strength of our communities is measured not just by the buildings we construct, but by the lives we improve and the opportunities we create for those in need,” said Sapounzi.
“That’s why projects like this transitional housing initiative matter.”
More than just a lack of housing, homelessness is a complex challenge, intertwined with mental health, economic barriers and social inequality, he said.
“The solution is not just shelter, but a place where people can rebuild their lives with dignity and support,” Sapounzi added.
He expressed gratitude to the city and the county for their leadership on the project, and he acknowledged future residents of the building, saying “this place is for you.
“More than just walls and roof, this is a space where you can find stability, rebuild and take the next steps toward a brighter future,” he said.
Thresholds will be partnering with Crow Shield Lodge, KW Urban Native Wigwam Project, Stonehenge Therapeutic and Guelph Community Health Centre to provide support to at-risk individuals in Guelph and Wellington county, Thresholds CEO Eric Philip stated in a news release.
This bedroom on the third floor of the 65 Delhi St. building is typical of the accommodations in the transitional housing facility. Photo by Jessica Lovell
During the grand-opening event, Philip highlighted the role of partner organizations, the city and county in tackling increasingly complex challenges related to homelessness.
“We all need to work together to build a system of care to take on these challenges,” he said.
He said the goal is a future where facilities like 65 Delhi don’t need to exist anymore and the people who have left the program are no longer identified by a condition or a habit.
“The people we support have so much to offer,” Philip said. “And we need to recognize that this part of their stories is not their whole story.”
Following the formal remarks and ribbon cutting for the facility, people in attendance had the opportunity to tour the building.
The facility includes single rooms – equipped with a bed, desk, lamp, mini fridge and closet – common kitchen facilities and lounges, assessment rooms, and more.
It will provide individualized support services such as counselling, job training and placement, community activities, increased access to health supports and help with life skills.
“The support services provided here will be tailored to meet the unique needs of each resident,” said county director of housing services Dave Purdy.
He told the Advertiser the individuals who will live at 65 Delhi have not yet been identified.
The target date to begin filling beds is the end of February or early March, and the process will be a “phased-in approach,” he said.
“What that phase-in will look like is still to be determined.”
Individuals will be referred to the facility through the county’s coordinated entry system, which will work to identify individuals that will benefit from transitional supportive housing, Purdy said.
People will stay at 65 Delhi for as long as two or three years, with the goal of transitioning successfully to more permanent housing, he added.
“The sooner we get them in, the sooner we can move them forward,” he said.
The county is the designated service system manager for all social services in both Guelph and Wellington County.
For more information on the 65 Delhi Street Transitional Housing Facility, visit wellington.ca/65Delhi.
