Photo courtesy of: connectptbo.ca
There soon could be more units at the city’s Modular Bridge Housing Community on Wolfe Street.
Council endorsed adding up to 16 units at Monday nights committee meeting, subject to the successful approval of the City’s Encampment Response Initiative application and/or the Last Mile Funding from the Province.
The need for shelter options for people experiencing homelessness is continuing to increase in the community according to staff, and with the new provincial funding programs, there is the prospect of provincial funding to cover the cost of the expansion at Wolfe Street.
The Encampment Response Initiative provides municipalities with funding to expand shelter capacity and develop temporary accommodations for individuals residing in encampments. Eligible uses of this funding include constructing temporary structures such as tiny cabins and sprung shelters, covering operational costs for shelters, and remediating encampment sites. The goal is to provide accessible and urgent housing solutions while restoring encampment sites to safe and usable conditions.
The Last Mile Funding Program is designed to accelerate the completion of near-ready affordable housing projects. It prioritizes projects that demonstrate value for money and align with the Canada-Ontario Community Housing Initiative guidelines. To qualify, projects must be commitment-ready, with signed contribution agreements within the fiscal year, and shovel-ready, with construction commencing within 120 days of agreement signing.
