A new 40-unit Bridge Housing project has officially launched in Barrie, aimed at reducing unsheltered homelessness across Simcoe County.
The project is a partnership between the County of Simcoe and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) and is designed to support people experiencing unsheltered homelessness who face complex and overlapping barriers to securing permanent housing.
“Communities across Canada are facing surging homelessness, especially unsheltered homelessness,” says Tim Richter, President and CEO of CAEH. “Simcoe County and the City of Barrie have been tackling this issue head on, which makes this the perfect place to test a promising new rapid response to unsheltered homelessness that we hope to see scaled across the country.”
Bridge Housing is a short-term, service-intensive model that provides a safe and stable place for participants to regroup while accessing health care, addictions and mental health supports, and other essential services. The program also offers individualized assistance to help participants overcome practical barriers to housing, such as obtaining identification, applying for income assistance, or connecting with health services.
“We are proud to launch the Bridge to Stability program that will help ensure that no one seeking a safe, warm place to stay is left out in the cold,” notes County of Simcoe Warden Basil Clarke. “This is one of our many innovative investments in Barrie and throughout Simcoe County aimed at addressing homelessness and housing shortages. We thank the Government of Canada and our partners at the CAEH for working with us to build up our communities.”
The Bridge to Stability program is receiving nearly $1.7 million over the next year from the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund, a $45-million federal initiative led by CAEH to support innovative projects that reduce homelessness.
“Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home,” says Jennifer McKelvie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing & Infrastructure. “Through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund, our government is supporting innovative, community driven solutions that help make that a reality. The Bridge to Stability project will have a significant impact on reducing unsheltered homelessness in Simcoe County and represents an important step forward in ensuring people can access the housing and supports they need.”
According to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count, unsheltered homelessness has increased by 300% nationwide over the past six years, with Simcoe County also seeing a rise in encampments and makeshift shelters. The goal of the Bridge to Stability project is to move its first group of participants into permanent housing within one year, while piloting a Bridge Housing model that partners hope can be expanded to other communities across Canada.
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