Shelter funding comes as winter, 2nd wave set in

The Ontario government confirmed Monday it's delivering $18 million to sustain and expand social services in Ottawa during the pandemic.

A substantial portion of the money, which is set to last until next April, will go to Ottawa's homeless shelters and other services for homeless and precariously housed people as they hunker down forwinter.

"It's crucial," saidDeirdre Freiheit,president and CEO of the Shepherds of Good Hope, which runs shelters for men and women in the city. She said as the weather getscolder, the charitywill need about double its current space to house its nearly 270 overnight clients while observing safe physical distancing protocols.

Finding that new shelter space has become an urgent need, on top of other added costs such aspersonal protective equipment, extra cleaning and Plexiglas.

"This kind of support ... is really welcome," said Freiheit, adding the charityhas been servingan additional 300 meals a day during the pandemic.

WATCH | The load on Ottawa's shelters:

New provincial funding to help Ottawa shelter system as cold weather sets in

4 years ago

Duration 1:05

Deirdre Freiheit, Shepherds of Good Hope CEO, says nearly $18 million in funding from the provincial government will help bolster the citys shelter system, which is struggling to deal with the opioid crisis, a housing shortage and now, the pandemic.

In April, the cityreceived $13.2 million to help its non-profit, charitable and social services agencies weather the first wave of the pandemic.

Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamarisaid the$17,866,692 in new funding matches what the city askedfor inadditional support from the province. Of that, $4 million is expected to go toward new housing, specifically "facility or modular housing for permanent housing for single individuals and families," according to the province.

Some of the money will go toward day programs where people can seek services without packing into a shelter.