On June 19, 2024, the Region of Waterloo purchased the shelter at 84 Frederick St. from YWCA Waterloo-Kitchener. The shelter will act as emergency housing for women and gender-diverse individuals experiencing homelessness in our community.
In response to the ongoing need for shelter, the operating model of the facility will serve single women and gender diverse adults without dependents with an initial occupancy of 66 beds. In addition, other initiatives are underway to increase emergency beds within the facility.
The Region of Waterloo’s emergency shelter system is under significant pressure due to chronic homelessness, which increased by 129 per cent since 2020. If the current pace of growth continues, it will triple by 2028.
“The number of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Region is unprecedented,” the Region of Waterloo said in a statement. “We are seeing the effects of poverty, mental health issues, rising housing costs and impacts of the opioid crisis first-hand in our community.”
According to the Region of Waterloo’s 84 Frederick St. remodelling report, the new operating model prioritizes harm reduction, restorative justice, relational models for support and 24/7 access to support and services for individuals experiencing homelessness and the extended community. Support provided on-site will include emergency shelter services, food and clothing and case management.
Initially, the region aimed to open the shelter by early December last year, but they are still renovating the site. While renovations are ongoing, Services and Housing in The Province (SHIP) is operating the facility with 37 emergency beds.
“The new shelter is needed, but it isn’t enough—37 beds aren’t enough. It’s a drop in the bucket of the true need,” Codi Loker, a member of Fightback KW, said.
SHIP runs the facility while the Region of Waterloo completes construction on the rest of the building. They plan to finish renovations by March.
Bonaparte said the shelter’s opening and the decision to close the first shelter at 84 Frederick St. reflect deeper systemic issues.
“People become homeless and in need of shelter beds for a myriad of reasons, but it ultimately comes down to a systematic failure,” Loker said.
“The mechanisms in place could not or would not provide them with the appropriate help they require.”
Loker also said the Region of Waterloo’s decision to close the first shelter was a short-sighted, money-focused move.
The new shelter will replace the King St. Emergency Shelter on 1668 King St. E., Kitchener, scheduled to close in March 2025, coinciding with the opening of the Frederick Street shelter.
Codi Loker is a contributer with TCE.
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