New 14-unit supportive housing facility to open in Barrie amidst housing crisis
The County of Simcoe announced plans to open a new supportive housing facility in partnership with local shelters.
The move comes amid a housing and opioid crisis that has left many vulnerable people struggling to survive on the streets.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
The new 14-unit facility, located at the corner of Tiffin and Innisfil streets in Barrie, will be opening in the next month, according to the County.
"We are very excited to be opening up 77 Tiffin soon," said Mina Fayez-Bahgat, the County's general manager, Social and Community Services. "This opportunity gives 14 more people in our community affordable, safe housing and supportive care."
The County announced it teamed up with the Busby Centre and Elizabeth Fry Society to run the facility, with $2.5 million in provincial government funding.
Across the region, hundreds of people are battling food and housing insecurity, with many also fighting mental health and substance abuse.
The provincial government pledged $25 million annually to combat homelessness plaguing municipalities across Ontario, money those living on the streets say can't come soon enough.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.