Opening of Sudbury's new permanent shelter delayed 3 weeks, CMHA says

The opening of a new permanent shelter, slated for downtown Sudbury, is delayed for three weeks.

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Sudbury-Manitoulin has been working to renovate 200 Larch Street into a new 30-bed permanent shelter.

It had been slated to open Nov.1, buthas now been delayed until Nov. 25, according to Marion Quigley, outgoing CEO for CMHA Sudbury-Manitoulin.

"We had a tour [Monday]and we've decided thatbecause we have the temporary shelter we're going to give ourselves a few more weeks to ensure that the site is ready for people to sleep there."

The temporary shelterwill continue just one block away at 146 Larch Street, in the old Salvation Army building.

That temporary space is a 20-bed shelterfor men and non-binary individuals only.The new permanent site will have30 beds and will be a year-round shelter for all adults ages 18 and up.

Once the permanent location is ready it will eliminate the need for seasonal emergency housing.

"In the past couple of years CMHA and the city have operated a winter shelter for low barrier [needs],but as of November 25th it will be a twelvemonth shelter, and it will be for men and women," Quigley said.

Along with the shelter, the new building at 200 Larch Street will also house a nurse practitioner clinic, and the CMHA'sharm reduction home for itsmanaged alcohol program. Quigley says those will open early in the new year.

There will also be community partners available at the permanent site to help clients connect with the supportthey needs on an individual basis.

'Not just a warm place to sleep'

Quigley describes a scenario where an individual wakes up after a night at the shelter, has a warm meal and then may feel ready to speak with support services on hand.

"It's about building relationships and building that trust so people will start to talk to us about what it is they need and how we can connect them."

"It's not just about a warm place to sleep,it's about how they can get supports and feel better about themselves," she said.

Quigley says when it comes to homelessness in our community we can't just look to one organization or one government such as the city.

"I think as a community we all need to help out and the city does provide a good amount of funds towardhousing and homelessness, and as organizations we also need to look at how we can support them," she said.

"We are on the right track as a community."