Youth Haven emergency shelter in Barrie to be rebuilt amid growing demand

The Youth Haven emergency shelter for young people in Barrie will soon have a new home.

The organization that works with youth experiencing homelessness held a news conference at the site Tuesday, and staff are eager to get things going.

“Our new shelter is not just a building. It’s a lifeline. It provides safety and a sense of belonging to those who find themselves in vulnerable situations,” said Lucy Gowers, executive director of Youth Haven.

Gowers said until the new home is built on the same location as the former building, the young people its helping are staying at a local hotel. She said once complete it will be able to assist more young people in need.

“At the hotel we have about 18 youth that are staying with us. Our capacity at the hotel is 20. Once in our new home, we will be able to assist 31 people," she added.

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The organization is trying to raise one million dollars to pay for the new facility. The new youth haven will offer everything from case management, counselling, and employment education to outreach services to health care.

Kyle Pintar is a client at Youth Haven. He says the organization has been a lifeline for him.

“I’ve been able to improve my mental health, which when I got here was not great, and now I feel more confident being able to get out into the community to try to find employment and go to college,” said Pintar.

Youth Haven has been helping local youth for more than 35 years and assists about 300 people annually. While the money for the home is being raised in part from the County and the community, the Simcoe County Home Builders Association will help build it.

Youth Haven has raised about $650,000 of the one million dollars it needs to build the new facility. The old building is expected to be demolished by the end of the month, with a possible move-in date of spring 2025.