‘Something would have to give’: Regional councillors press pause on Erbs Road shelter report

On a week where frigid temperatures arrive in Waterloo Region, the most vulnerable members of society are top of mind.

Regional councillors discussed homelessness Tuesday morning, and what to do when it comes to the future of the region’s hybrid shelter at 1001 Erbs Road.

The shelter opened eight months ago, with a two-year timeline on the pilot project.

Wilmot Mayor and Councillor Natasha Salonen put forward a motion looking for staff to put together a report on where this shelter be moved to, when those two years are up, a timeline she notes will go by quickly.

“We don’t know what a wrap up on this looks like, and I’m not necessarily saying that wrap up means to not have this site and these 50 units, but we know that getting land takes time, we know that moving takes time… we need to be planning for these things now, otherwise we are planning to fail.”

The motion was ultimately turned down, due to some councillors and staff saying it’s just too early to talk winding the site down, when it still not even halfway into the pilot project.

Peter Sweeney, commissioner of community Services with the Region of Waterloo, said they are also working on finding sites for a second hybrid shelter, never mind taking the next few months to find a site for this original project.

He noted they do have the two-year time limit in the back of their minds.

“That is a big ask and would detract both from the development from the overall plan to end chronic homelessness and would certainly detract any effort that we would have to scout out a location for a second one… in our view, given everything else we have been asked to do, something would have to give.”

A report already coming in the spring is set to highlight how the current site on Erbs Road is doing, as well as the Region of Waterloo’s plan to end chronic homelessness. That is expected in May.

For the councillors who turned the motion down, Salonen said, this discussion still needs to happen.

“We have a finite timeline, whether some of you want to believe it or not, the building act, my staff are obligated to enforce it … because they wanted to be accommodating and were told it would be two years, they accommodated and gave two years. They will not be that kind going forward.”

Salonen’s original motion can be viewed here, along with the full discussion by council.