The Emergency Shelter Program Framework (E5 Framework) includes seven program providers with a total capacity of about 250 spaces in 2017.
The ES framework, introduced to the Region in 2017, responds to the evolution in local sheltering options in the Waterloo Region. With the increase in demand for shelter in the region the E5 framework is called into question on its effectiveness by local advocates.
“We’ve been up and running now…since April 2020, and some of the residents have been with us since the very beginning. The residents have really knit together beautifully as a community of support for each other and with the volunteers and the staff,” Jeff Willmer, a co-founder and volunteer of A Better Tent City, said.
The project provides stability and community support, including healthcare services from Sanguine’s Mobile Health Unit and weekly food deliveries from the Food Bank of Waterloo Region. Residents pay a third of their shelter allowance, with the rest covered by grants and donations.
Warming, cooling and clean air spaces are buildings in the region that provide space for members of the public to get temporary relief from heat, cold or poor air quality.
There are spaces located all over the Waterloo Region including North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. Some spaces are only available when there are extreme weather warnings and special air quality statements issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
“We don’t have a lot of turnover, so we keep a short waiting list, but we really don’t take applications. Each resident is entitled to have one visitor, some of the visitors tend to become long term visitors, and they tend to rise to the top of the waiting list,” Willmer said.
The unhoused community faces challenges with limited resources and the need for overnight warming centers. Willmer and his team emphasized the importance of community support and the potential for other communities to adopt similar models.
“We have a pretty modest budget. It’s under a million dollars a year. The residents themselves pay about 1/3 with their shelter allowance. The Region of Waterloo has given us a grant, so that pays for about 1/3 and then we rely on community donations and grants for the for the extra thirds, or the additional third,” Willmer said.
As of January 2025, there are at least 100 people looking for shelter. To access available shelters, residents must call First Connect at 519-624-9133, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This articles has been corrected on May 2, 2025, Jeff Willmer’s last name was corrected from “Willmar” to “Willmer.”
Leave a Reply