It is a cycle Nicole Latour sees frequently: folks being moved from homeless encampments in Thunder Bay, Ont., and into residences, solely to finish up residing in tents once more.
The issue? They’re gaining a roof over their head however dropping their sense of neighborhood, she defined.
“The mannequin that we presently have the place we take folks out of communal residing conditions, encampments, and home them independently in an residence unit away from their friends — we’re discovering that that is not working for everyone, that we would have liked to look exterior of the field and introduce a brand new mannequin to the neighborhood.”
The answer? Creating transitional housing with tiny properties.
Latour is government director of Alpha Court docket Neighborhood Psychological Well being and Habit Companies. Final month, the Thunder Bay District Social Companies Administration Board (TBDSSAB) introduced $3.8 million in funding for the group.
The cash comes by the province’s Homelessness Prevention Program and can assist the creation of 16 tiny dwelling models at 212 Miles St. E. on town’s south aspect. This system is supporting the creation of 66 new transitional housing models in Thunder Bay this yr throughout three organizations.
The lot the place 16 tiny properties are being constructed at 212 Miles St. E. in Thunder Bay, Ont. The hope is to have them move-in prepared by August. (Sarah Legislation/CBC)
In November, Thunder Bay’s metropolis council voted in opposition to creating a short lived shelter village with between 80 and 100 models on Miles Avenue East for folks experiencing homelessness. The venture acquired appreciable criticism from enterprise house owners within the space, and metropolis employees are exploring various areas.
“The primary distinction is while you discuss facilities,” Latour mentioned of how tiny properties differ from the non permanent shelter village.
The tiny properties will every include a full rest room, kitchen and sleeping quarters, she mentioned, whereas the non permanent shelters are extra like sleeping cabins meant to quickly get folks out of the weather.
WATCH | Tiny dwelling neighborhood to open in Nova Scotia 
Tiny dwelling neighborhood to open in Nova Scotia
It’s anticipated to welcome its first residents to the Decrease Sackville location throughout the subsequent couple of weeks. The CBC’s Gareth Hampshire bought to take a peek inside the brand new models.
The properties are being constructed domestically, with hopes of transferring folks into them by August.
Numerous communities throughout Canada have been exploring related buildings as a manner of easing the housing disaster whereas utilizing a smaller footprint, from Peterborough’s modular cabins to a tiny dwelling neighborhood in Decrease Sackville in Nova Scotia.
Assembly wants for social inclusion, selection
The largest problem Latour encountered with the venture was discovering serviceable land, she mentioned.
“We all know that there is a scarcity of serviceable land, residential serviceable land, so the place you will discover land, it is advisable benefit from it,” she mentioned.
Residents will obtain case administration assist on-site to assist them construct the talents they should dwell independently and obtain their targets, resembling schooling, employment or restoration from habit, Latour mentioned.
Nicole Latour, government director of Alpha Court docket Neighborhood Psychological Well being and Habit Companies, is seen on this 2023 file picture. Latour says tiny properties can provide folks a way of neighborhood that they might lack in an residence constructing. (Sarah Legislation/CBC)
Whereas the venture will mark Thunder Bay’s first tiny dwelling neighborhood, the models aren’t new to town. First Nations college students which might be a part of the Kendomang Zhagodenamnon Lodge (KZ) program at Hammarskjold Excessive Faculty can earn a faculty credit score by constructing tiny properties.
Bonnie Krysowaty is co-ordinator of the Lakehead Social Planning Council’s (LSPC) poverty discount technique, which features a tiny properties subcommittee. The group has grown considerably over the previous few years and works carefully with Good Modular Canada and the KZ program.
Krysowaty helped direct Latour to Good Modular Canada to assist get the tiny dwelling village began.
A tiny house is seen beneath development at Hammarskjold Excessive Faculty in Thunder Bay, Ont. (Tessa Harper/CBC)
“There must be a wide range of choices for folks, whether or not it is transitional or everlasting housing, and this provide is a sure want for a particular group of individuals – so it is actually thrilling to see this occurring,” Krysowaty mentioned.
The social inclusion side is an integral a part of the tiny dwelling mannequin’s success, she mentioned, and is one thing she hopes to see Thunder Bay develop upon.
“I believe this actually speaks to the number of options that tiny properties can present — so not solely to organizations that assist people who could be experiencing continual homelessness or episodic homelessness or are on the threat of homelessness, however offering completely different options to seniors, to college students, to {couples}, to small households.”
Pallet shelter plans in Kenora
Just like Thunder Bay’s proposed non permanent shelter village, efforts are underway to get between 40 and 50 pallet shelters up in Kenora.
Dr. Jonny Grek, a household doctor and neighborhood advocate, has been championing the idea for years. He is amongst these main the proposal on the grassroots degree alongside companions resembling Grand Council Treaty #3.
Superior Morning7:37Nicole Latour: Tiny House Neighborhood
Numerous transitional housing initiatives are underway in Thunder Bay together with a 16-unit tiny dwelling neighborhood on Miles Avenue East.Hear extra in regards to the venture and what it entails.
The group has recognized two potential plots of city-owned land. This week, an organization referred to as Pallet Shelter can be presenting them with blueprints and price estimates, that are hoped to be offered to Kenora’s metropolis council subsequent month, Grek mentioned.
If all goes to plan, the shelters — which include primary sleeping quarters with heating and cooling — might be prepared by the summer time, he mentioned.
The pallet shelter property would have communal washrooms and showers services, laundry services, and a large number corridor for meals.
“That is the quickest, greatest obtainable choice and certain least expensive choice that may have folks sheltered as quickly as doable, however we additionally know it isn’t best,” he mentioned.
Grek envisions the pallet shelters to be Part 1 of the venture, with Part 2 seeing a tiny dwelling village the place every unit is supplied with facilities, like Alpha Court docket’s mannequin.
In each phases, Grek mentioned it is important to verify residents are supplied with wraparound assist from neighborhood companions. His group has been consulting with members of Kenora’s unhoused inhabitants to verify their views are a part of these plans.
“If we construct one thing and it would not assist the wants of the folks, they merely will not use it,” he mentioned. “I imagine that they might nonetheless seemingly select the -30 C climate or sofa browsing over a tiny dwelling neighborhood if it actually is not constructed with their wants in thoughts.”
Again in Thunder Bay, Latour mentioned Alpha Court docket can be gathering information from the tiny dwelling village venture with the aim of enhancing upon the mannequin and duplicating it elsewhere within the metropolis.
