Toronto plans to add 1,533 shelter and housing spaces this winter, alongside expanded warming centres, longer drop-in hours and additional street outreach during extreme cold.

The city released its annual Winter Services Plan on Monday, announcing an 18 per cent increase in additional spaces compared with last year, according to reporting by CityNews.

The total includes up to 588 permanent supportive and subsidized housing units, approximately 505 new shelter and 24-hour respite spaces, 254 warming centre spaces and 186 extreme-cold surge spaces.

The warming spaces, spread across five sites, will be activated when temperatures reach -5 C. The additional surge capacity will open when temperatures reach -15 C.

Drop-in programs offering food, health care, showers, laundry and recreational activities will extend their schedules, adding a combined 252 hours of service each week.

The plan also calls for extra street outreach teams during extreme cold to encourage people to come indoors. Regular outreach throughout the winter includes providing warm clothing, sleeping bags and other supplies.

“The City will continue to review, evaluate and improve its homelessness supports during the winter season to respond to the needs observed by staff on the ground,” the city said in a news release quoted by CityNews.

The announcement comes as the city reports fewer people relying on its accommodation system. It said it is currently accommodating about 7,000 people nightly, compared with 9,000 last year, and that more than 4,100 people moved from shelters into permanent housing over the past year.

Separately from the winter emergency measures, the city said work is underway to develop 1,600 long-term shelter spaces through its Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy.

Sources