Approved Temporary Shelter Expansion

The temporary outdoor shelter is part of the City’s broader, ongoing strategy to address homelessness in Hamilton. This reflects Council’s decision to provide additional low-barrier shelter space in response to the Mayor's directive(PDF, 106.68 KB) to establish a temporary outdoor shelter. This is not a standalone project but a crucial component of a larger system that includes housing support programs, rapid re-housing, drop-in services, outreach, and emergency supports.

No. This is a temporary solution as the City works on long-term permanent shelter solutions across Hamilton.

Good Shepherd, who is a local registered charity and non-profit. Good Shepherd’s experienced staff will be on-site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to support residents.

There have been some unexpected setbacks, due to additional health and safety measures, and production delays impacting delivery date for the microshelters and washroom facilities. As a result, the site is expected to open beginning in mid-January, with a phased in opening. The remaining outdoor shelter spaces will open soon after.

The City has made progress with the temporary outdoor shelter construction. Key milestones include:

• Site plans have been approved.
• Good Shepherd has been confirmed as the operator of the site.
• Asphalt paving has started in key areas for the buildings and washrooms.
• Temporary fencing has been installed, and work continues on the permanent fencing around the full perimeter of the temporary outdoor shelter site.
• Hamilton Water is currently installing the water line.

Support services will include:

• Case management (a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements and monitors the options and services required to meet a clients’ health and human service needs), 
• Health and mental health care, 
• Addiction support (e.g. harm reduction, connections to medical supports)
• Assistance with transitioning to permanent housing, and
• Meals and snacks.

Harm reduction aims to meet people who use drugs where they are at. It may incorporate a wide range of strategies that could include safer drug use, managed use, and abstinence. 

The site will have:

• 40 heated and cooled shelter units for up to 80 residents,
• Trailers for washrooms, showers, and laundry, and
• Common buildings for both staff and residents. 

The City’s Housing-Focused Street Outreach Team will manage referrals for the 80-bed temporary outdoor shelter and 192 emergency shelter bed expansion, prioritizing individuals currently in encampments. Conversations are ongoing with residents in encampments and referrals will be on a case-by-case basis. The transition to the shelter spaces will be handled with compassion and care.

Yes.

Yes. Rules are being developed to ensure the safety of everyone at the temporary outdoor shelter. Guests will be permitted, but visits will follow an organized and structured process. Details on that process will be managed by Good Shepherd.

Yes. Pets will be accommodated where it is safe to do so. Policies are being developed to ensure the safety of shelter residents, neighbours, and pets. Policies will address both on-site and site-adjacent considerations, including pet-related noise. 

There will be staff, including security, on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round. There will be regular scheduled waste collection and removal and routine site inspections to maintain cleanliness and safety. 

There will be staff, including security, on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round. Staff will address noise and disturbances and will work to de-escalate any conflicts that arise. Fires will not be permitted on the site.  

There will be staff, including security, on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round.

Hamilton Police Services (HPS) will continue to be responsible for public safety issues and criminal matters as outlined in the Community Safety and Policing Act. Good Shepherd, like all other shelter providers, will work with HPS if there are public safety issues and criminal matters at the temporary outdoor shelter.  HPS will continue to respond to public safety issues and criminal matters in the surrounding neighbourhood.

The site will follow harm reduction principles to support overall health and safety, addressing both individual and community needs. Support services, including addiction resources (e.g. harm reduction and connections to medical supports), will be available to help residents manage substance use safely and responsibly.

A low-barrier shelter is designed to reduce obstacles that typically prevent people from accessing indoor shelters. This includes accommodation for couples, pets, and secure storage for belongings.

External environmental experts have assessed the site and provided recommendations for on-site mitigation. These include:

• laying an asphalt or concrete surface,
• restricting access to unused areas of the property by installing fencing,
• installation of a drainage system,
• installation of a waterproof barrier to block any vapours from contaminants, 
• regular inspections of the site,
• installation of appropriate signage, and
• implementation of dust control measures and personal protective equipment during construction.

 Key measures will include: 

• Occupancy rates, 
• Length of stay, 
• Access to health and support services, 
• Housing stability for residents, 
• Effectiveness of on-site services 
• Transitions to safe and permanent housing, and
• Community benefit. 

The project pilot will be regularly evaluated, and the key measures will inform any adjustments that need to be made throughout the course of the project.  The goal of the project is to see an overall decrease in the number of unhoused residents, and reduce the demands and needs for emergency shelter housing.

Results and outcomes will be shared through reports to City Council though the General Issues Committee, which will be posted on the City website. 

The temporary shelter is part of a broader plan to address homelessness and housing in Hamilton. Addressing homelessness requires supports across the housing continuum, including both short-term and long-term, permanent solutions. 

For more information on the City’s Whole of Hamilton approach to housing, visit www.hamilton.ca/housinginvestments

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Encampments within 1 km of the temporary outdoor shelter will not be permitted once the shelter opens. The City’s Encampment Response Team will work with residents encamped within this radius to transition them to safer, more compassionate, and legal accommodations. The Response Team will assist with moving personal belongings, cleaning up unwanted belongings and litter, and will ensure site cleanup. Staff from Municipal Licensing Enforcement (MLE) will proactively monitor the 1 km radius area once a week to ensure ongoing compliance.  If required, additional visits will be conducted, Trespass Notices may be issued, and MLE staff will engage Hamilton Police Services when necessary.

All updates, including links Council Reports and Communication Updates, will be posted on this page. 

In the lead-up to the temporary outdoor shelter site opening, residents can use the comment form to ask questions and provide feedback. Questions will be regularly reviewed by the City’s dedicated team to inform the project and its operations and answers will be added on a monthly basis or as new information becomes available. We will also be providing more comprehensive materials with detailed plans as soon as they’re available and before December 20 when we plan to open the temporary outdoor shelter.