New temporary solution to Barrie's homeless crisis is nearly operational
A new temporary solution to Barrie's homeless crisis is nearly operational, with 50 beds expected to be filled throughout the cold winter months.
Advocates say inflation and the lack of affordable housing have highlighted the issues surrounding homelessness.
Sara Peddle, Busby Centre's executive director, said the new site can't open fast enough, noting they are turning people away because they don't have the space for overnight stays.
"More and more people are ending up in shelters and on the street, and unfortunately, we need a bigger solution at multiple levels of government to actually make this not happen," said Peddle.
The Busby Centre will run the temporary shelter on the former OPP property on Rose Street.
"We are definitely, seeing coming out of the pandemic, a lot of people that were possibly in the hidden homeless category of staying with friends or family or couch surfing are now experiencing street homelessness," Peddle added.
There has yet to be a firm date for when the doors will open, as the County says it is working with the City on some final steps.
"In the next few days, we have some connections that need to be done, and we're doing that in cooperation with the City," said Simcoe County Warden George Cornell. "Once that's all done, we're ready for an occupancy permit which requires the City to come and do their inspection and then we're ready to open up."
Inspectors will check everything from fire alarms to plumbing and potential mechanical issues at the temporary shelter.
The City said if there are no issues during the inspection, the shelter would likely be given the green light to operate immediately.
The Rose Street property will eventually be used for supportive housing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Loblaw ends No Name price freeze, vows 'flat' pricing 'wherever possible'
Loblaw will not be extending its price freeze on No Name brand products, but vows to keep the yellow label product-pricing flat 'wherever possible.'
Discovery in Canadian lab could make laptop and phone batteries last longer
A chance discovery in a Canadian lab could help extend the life of laptop and phone batteries.
Woman detained in Syria says Ottawa is forcing her to make agonizing choice in order to get her kids to Canada
A woman held in a detention camp in Syria, along with her three Canadian children, says the federal government is forcing her to make an agonizing choice: relinquish custody of her kids so they can be repatriated to Canada, or keep them in the camp where the conditions are dire. Her children are eligible for repatriation but she is not a Canadian citizen.
15 students in Mexico treated after taking part in online 'challenge' involving tranquilizers
Fifteen grade school students in Mexico have been treated after apparently taking part in an internet 'challenge' in which groups of students take tranquilizers to see who can stay awake the longest.
Cheaters beware: ChatGPT maker releases AI detection tool
The maker of ChatGPT is trying to curb its reputation as a freewheeling cheating machine with a new tool that can help teachers detect if a student or artificial intelligence wrote that homework.
Still no answers on yearslong bread price-fixing scandal: law professor
More than five years since Canada’s Competition Bureau began an investigation into an alleged bread-price fixing scheme, no conclusions have been drawn nor charges laid. As the watchdog is now probing whether grocery stores are profiting from inflation, one expert says the effectiveness of its tools are in question.
Jeopardy! dedicates entire category to Ontario but one question stumps every contestant
Jeopardy! turned the spotlight on Ontario on Monday night with a category entirely dedicated to the province. One question stumped every contestant.
U.S. launches second USMCA dispute panel as dairy battle with Canada goes to Round 2
The United States is filing another formal dispute over what it considers Canada's failure to live up to its trade obligations to American dairy farmers and producers.
Boeing bids farewell to an icon, delivers last 747 jumbo jet
Boeing bids farewell to an icon on Tuesday: It's delivering its final 747 jumbo jet.
Atlantic
-
Wind chill explained and what to expect late week in the Maritimes
A blast of Arctic air will combine with northwest gusts to make it feel like -35 degrees or colder for parts of all three Maritime provinces Friday night into Saturday.
-
911 issues caused by change to 10-digit dialing in New Brunswick: Bell Aliant
911 emergency calling in all three Maritime provinces has been fixed following service issues Tuesday morning.
-
Mi'kmaw Nova Scotia MP says updated electoral map kicks him out of his own riding
A Mi'kmaw member of Parliament says proposed changes to the boundaries of federal ridings in Nova Scotia would remove him and two Indigenous communities from his riding.
Montreal
-
WEATHER
WEATHER | Polar vortex to bring coldest air in years to parts of Quebec
So far, the winter season across Southwestern Quebec has been marked by above-average snowfall and above-average temperatures, but that is about to change. Cold, arctic air has been gradually pushing into the province.
-
Family of man killed in Montreal jail wants surveillance video released
The family of a Montreal man who died after he was seriously injured by jail guards while he was illegally detained is calling for surveillance video of the incident to be released publicly. Nicous D'Andre Spring's family and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association are jointly calling for 'all video footage' from the jail to be released immediately.
-
Quebec political parties divided over appointment of anti-Islamophobia advisor
Political parties in Quebec City are divided over the controversial appointment of Amira Elghawaby as Justin Trudeau's special advisor on combating Islamophobia.
Ottawa
-
Ottawa police name suspect in south-end homicide
A 45-year-old man was killed and a woman was hospitalized in a stabbing at south end apartment overnight, police said. A warrant has been issued for a 37-year-old suspect.
-
Missing Ottawa man's car found in Pembroke, Ont.
The car of an Ottawa man reported missing earlier this month has been found in Pembroke, Ont., police said Tuesday.
-
Two serious crashes on Ottawa roads Tuesday morning
Emergency crews had to extricate people from vehicles in two separate crashes in Ottawa on Tuesday morning.
Toronto
-
Jeopardy! dedicates entire category to Ontario but one question stumps every contestant
Jeopardy! turned the spotlight on Ontario on Monday night with a category entirely dedicated to the province. One question stumped every contestant.
-
What Toronto homeowners need to know about the vacant home tax deadline this week
A new tax on vacant homes is set to take effect in Toronto and homeowners have until this Thursday to declare the status of their properties.
-
Toronto vulnerable to legal challenge after precedent-setting encampment ruling
Experts say Ontario cities that move to evict homeless encampments can expect to see a wave of legal challenges after a precedent-setting ruling.
Kitchener
-
Queen Victoria statue consultation wraps up first stage with City of Kitchener
The City of Kitchener says they have wrapped up the first phase of consultation regarding a controversial statue in a public park.
-
OHL Bulldogs could be calling Brantford its new temporary home
The Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) is considering temporarily relocating to Brantford Civic Centre while their home ice undergoes major renovations.
-
Kitchener crash causes heavy damage, road closure
A crash between a box truck and a convertible has caused heavy damage to one vehicle and a road closure in Kitchener.
London
-
"You're not supposed to appear in uniform at a public meeting like that": Planning, research consultant
London Police Service Chief Steve Williams says an investigation is being conducted after a member of the police service appeared at City Hall in uniform to express opposition to a proposed development.
-
London neighbours slam more infill developments
While Londoners have generally united behind The London Plan’s philosophy that the city must slow sprawl through intensification, delivering on that promise is fueling division.On Monday, a pair of higher-density developments became the latest test of council’s commitment to intensification.
-
'I'm going to continue to do it': Man attempts to destroy snow sculptures in east London
Jared Clark loves to brighten his east London neighborhood with life-sized snow sculptures in the winter — and despite surveillance footage that recently depicted a real-life Grinch attempting to destroy the sculptures, Clark remains undeterred.
Northern Ontario
-
BREAKING
BREAKING | Sudbury school board makes decision on drag event
After putting the brakes on a planned event involving high-profile drag queens at a Sudbury high school two weeks ago, the Rainbow District School Board has made a final decision about it.
-
Blind River man charged again in ongoing neighbour dispute
Charges are being laid for the third time in connection with an ongoing dispute between northern Ontario neighbours, police say.
-
Preston Pablo of Timmins receives three Juno Award nominations
Preston Pablo, 21, of Timmins is a singer, songwriter and musician who's been nominated for three Juno Awards.
Windsor
-
Windsor banks defrauded $32,000, police seek identity of suspect
Windsor police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a woman who allegedly defrauded multiple banks out of $32,000.
-
Warning over porch pirate targeting LaSalle homes: police
LaSalle police are asking the public to be on the lookout for porch pirates after reports of two recent thefts.
-
Ridership on Windsor Transit rebounds to pre-pandemic levels
Officials at Transit Windsor are pleased with the direction ridership levels took for the last three months of 2022.
Calgary
-
Calgary MP says Liberal government wasted millions on quarantine hotel stays
A Calgary MP says she's learned the Liberal government gave more than $6.7 million in taxpayer money to a local hotel designated as a "quarantine hotel," but only 15 people stayed there in 2022.
-
Crews seal gas leak in Airdrie's Bayside neighbourhood
Several homes were evacuated in the southwest neighbourhood of Bayside in Airdrie following a Tuesday morning gas leak.
-
Ottawa, Alberta expanding $10/day daycare plan to include 22,500 new private spaces
Alberta's UCP government celebrated a victory in "parental choice in child care" Tuesday while announcing that a nationwide effort to make daycare more affordable will also include thousands of new privately-operated spaces in the province.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon landlord expects family of man killed in apartment to clean up his blood
Thirty-seven-year-old Adam Willet was found dead in his apartment on 7th Street East in December, and his family says they are now on the hook for cleaning the suite.
-
Harvard hockey coach under fire from FSIN after alleged racist comments
The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations is calling for the resignation of Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey coach Katey Stone.
-
Accused in Saskatoon's first homicide appears in court
Saskatoon’s first homicide victim of 2023 has been identified in court documents as 35-year-old Steffen Pohl.
Edmonton
-
Bullets in north Edmonton shooting narrowly missed sleeping children: police
Police are asking the public for help in identifying two males involved in a shooting in north Edmonton last month.
-
Ottawa, Alberta expanding $10/day daycare plan to include 22,500 new private spaces
Alberta's UCP government celebrated a victory in "parental choice in child care" Tuesday while announcing that a nationwide effort to make daycare more affordable will also include thousands of new privately-operated spaces in the province.
-
4 of 7 stolen Land Rovers found by Edmonton police; 2 charged
Men from Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area have been charged in a rash of thefts of newer Land Rovers in Edmonton and police are looking for a third person.
Vancouver
-
Illicit drug death toll surpasses 2,000 in B.C. for a 2nd consecutive year
British Columbia recorded 2,272 illicit drugs deaths last year, new data released by the BC Coroners Service shows.
-
Nanaimo singer Lauren Spencer-Smith earns pair of Juno Awards nods
Lauren Spencer-Smith of Nanaimo, B.C., is among the nominees for this year's Juno Awards, including for the artist of the year category. The 19-year-old singer who rose to fame after a stint on American Idol is up against established names like Michael Bublé, Avril Lavigne and The Weeknd in the most coveted category.
-
Vancouver school to dump Lord Roberts name after unanimous vote
Members of the Vancouver School Board have voted unanimously to support the renaming of Lord Roberts Elementary in the city's West End neighbourhood.