New Housing Projects

The Region is the Service System Manager legislated by the provincial government and the Community Entity designated by the federal government. This role is responsible for the planning and coordination of the Homelessness Support System across Durham Region. Regional Council has approved and directed staff to carry out a Regional Housing Strategy.

Homelessness is increasing across Durham Region. According to a May 2023 report to Durham Regional Council, there was an increase of 144 per cent in Whitby from 2021 to 2022, which is where this shelter is located. Other increases include Ajax (121 per cent), Clarington (50 per cent), north Durham (13 per cent), and Oshawa (21 per cent).

The Region has a mandate to help provide shelter and support for vulnerable populations, as everyone deserves a place to call home.

On August 3, the Region began preparing the former Sunnycrest Nursing Home, now referred to as 1635 Dundas, to offer emergency shelter and wrap-around supports as the first phase of development for this site. Although this site is not adequate to meet the post-pandemic requirements of a nursing home, it offers several elements to support people experiencing homelessness, at risk of becoming homeless and other vulnerabilities because:

• it is located on a major transit corridor.
• it is zoned to fit the intended use.
• it has a good foundation to improve quickly for occupancy:
  • toilets, showers and hygiene-related requirements exist.
  • allows for retrofitting to align with varied types of housing, such as supportive, transitional, accessible, etc.
  • has a mix of multipurpose and living space that will allow for safe shelter and housing options with onsite services to support people in meeting their goals.
• during phase one, it offers space for people to sleep and space for services such as health, employment, food security, etc.
• people will not need to wait outside for cleaning during the day.

In the short term, 1635 Dundas will help address our community’s immediate need. Longer term, it has the potential to offer a coordinated and accessible service delivery model that supports people, creates a sense of belonging and meets individualized needs.

Meaningful, two-way engagement is key. Your input is essential in helping to shape services at 1635 Dundas.

Community members are invited to share comments or questions on our Your Durham page, at any time.

The Region hosted a drop-in engagement session on August 30 at the Whitby Centennial Building (416 Centre Street South, Whitby) for the community to share their concerns, inquiries and ideas for the site. We recognize there were some challenges with the format. However, it was an opportunity for us to gather information from individuals who were both in support of, and against, this facility. All feedback, program ideas, concerns and solutions have been captured.

There is a survey available online at yourvoice.durham.ca/HelpAddressHomelessness, which seeks input to help create a positive path forward. Participation in this survey is voluntary. The survey is available until September 27, 2023.

Residents, community and health services providers, those with lived experience, and others are being asked to weigh in and help create a positive path forward.

Next steps for engagement will include:

• An additional public session to share what we have learned from the engagement process so far and receive further feedback to develop the site.
• The establishment of a Community Liaison Committee to help shape the long-term vision for the shelter and ensure its future success.

Future engagement opportunities will be advertised on the project website and circulated to the list of people we have collected contact information from during the engagement process.

Participants at community meetings are asked to treat staff who participate in public meetings with respect. The Region has an obligation to provide a safe working environment for staff. As well, housing must be provided in a manner which is consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code. Participants are asked to refrain from comments which perpetuate unfair stereotypes or stigmatize potential residents of Region-provided housing.

The Region takes safety and security very seriously. Safety protocols and policies will be in place to mitigate potential issues and to address issues that arise. The Region is an experienced provider and will work to support health, safety and wellbeing inside the facility and within the community.

Although the building is currently closed, there is on-site security patrol. An updated security system, including cameras and additional lighting, are part of the site retrofits. A security needs assessment will be completed, and recommendations will be implemented.

A 10-foot privacy fence— including one that limits access to Greenfield Crescent—is also planned and will replace the current four-foot-tall chain link fencing/areas of disrepair.

Emergency shelter is for people who require a place to sleep and to work towards housing goals. As additional phases of the site are developed, it will offer more housing and service options for people who are experiencing homelessness, people who are at risk of homelessness, or individuals who need help to live independently in the community.

Homelessness is a housing status; it is not someone’s identity. Not everyone who experiences homelessness has mental health issues or is managing addiction. Some are seniors who rely on social assistance and cannot pay their bills. Others are families, with both parents working full-time jobs. Housing and food costs are high and there are many life circumstances that can bring someone to be in crisis and, when this happens, people need support. This facility will offer an opportunity to improve one’s life circumstances in a healthy community environment.

Area residents are not notified in advance of a pending real estate transaction. The reality is that negotiations involve confidential financial details. They need to remain that way. As the Service System Manager, the Region is expanding services available across Durham to support people with housing and homelessness supports. Homelessness is being labelled a crisis across the country and Durham is not immune.

The Region made the announcement on the day it took possession of the property. This was done to make this decision public. The notification can be reviewed here.

We encourage the community to stay up to date by visiting the project website at yourvoice.durham.ca/HelpAddressHomelessness.

Will staff be available around the clock to manage emergencies or concerns?

How will the facility address accessibility concerns?

As outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA), the Region will ensure 1635 Dundas meets accessibility requirements; supporting the vision of a fully accessible Ontario.

What was the process of purchasing the facility and how much did the Region spend to purchase the site?

The total purchase price for the facility was $13.7 million – this is public information and can be found in the property transfer deed of land at the Land Registry Office. The Region retained a third-party licensed appraiser to assess the property before purchase and the property was purchased at fair market value in accordance with the Region’s process for property acquisition. The decision to purchase the facility was approved by Regional Council. The purchase process and decisions were made separate from any plans and discussions surrounding the use of the facility.

What can I do to stop the project? I don't want a drop-in, 24-hour shelter in my neighbourhood. This will be a magnet for homeless people, and there will be overflow of people living in our parks.

The project has been approved by Regional Council. In late June, Council voted to purchase the 1635 Dundas property. The decision was to first open the facility as a24-hour a day emergency low barrier shelter for approximately 45 individuals.

No additional zoning approval is required. Plus, the Ontario Human Rights Code does not allow people to choose who lives in their neighbourhood. This facility will support the people who are currently having to live outdoors in Whitby, in ravines, within the area surrounding 1635 Dundas.

The shelter spaces will support the need for overnight indoor space that existed last year. In addition, this site will allow people to stay inside during the day and work toward their goals, instead of moving around outside in the cold.

Shelters have registration and intake processes in place—as well as policies to address health and safety, infection prevention and processes—to manage daily operations.

This site could hold up to 300 people if all rooms are set up for multiple people. Why would the largest drop in- shelter in Canada be set up in Whitby?

There is no intention to create one of the largest emergency shelters in Canada at the site. This is not a best practice.

Regional staff consider best practices, research and community planning when setting up new programs, as part of their daily work. This site allows for planning of sleep space and services that support positive outcomes for people.

Initially, the urgency is to get 45 shelter spaces operational, at the site, to bring people indoors before winter. For a shelter to operate, support services and policy development must be in place. Shared rooms will be set up in the initial phase as only a portion of the building will be ready.

The community engagement process will inform other types of housing and services aligned with the priorities of supporting people in need. Future phases will allow for more individualized arrangements.

Why would there be no plan in place for any sort of wraparound care for these people or security for this building and the neighbourhood?

There is a plan in place to support people using shelter services. Regional staff have been working with community partners to co-ordinate and implement services that will be needed.

The site will be ready for people before it opens. It will have updated security and IT systems, a 10-foot privacy fence, the required furniture, and policies that align with shelter standards, including appropriate staffing.

The site will open before winter to offer provide desperately needed indoor space and shelter from the harsh winter weather. It will follow established shelter best-practices. Community partners that offer health, housing, social, mental health and addiction and life skills building programs have already been engaged. Wraparound services at the site will be in place when it opens, and the indoor environment allows for a full range of programming.

Appropriate levels of security are currently in place and will continue; reassessed as needed. Regional Council provided direction in the early spring that outreach services will be expanded—staff who work with people experiencing homelessness and who support community well-being. The expansion of outreach services will occur before the site opens.

Why did the Region waste taxpayer dollars by paying more than $13 million for the 1635 Dundas property? That’s about $5 million over the last known price from early 2023.

The Region is always looking for the most efficient and cost-effective way to provide required community services. Purchasing an existing facility is more cost effective than building a new facility to support the community.

To put this into perspective, the new long-term care home, planned for Durham Region, is projected to cost about $160 million. While there are more extensive requirements, the size of this structure is similar to that of the 1635 Dundas building. The purchase of 1635 Dundas provides a great opportunity to address community needs at a significantly lower cost than a new build.

Adding a shelter to this community does not promote safety and community well-being. Isn’t that why the shelter beside the Whitby library was closed down?

For clarity, that was a warming shelter. This is different than the shelter being proposed at 1635 Dundas.

The warming shelter by the Whitby library was opened only for overnight, 12-hour winter warming. That means it was used to keep people inside and alive during the harsh winter weather. It did not have a full bathroom or kitchen space.

The 1635 location has rooms, bathroom facilities and kitchen space, which will allow people to be indoors 24/7. There are currently people living outdoors in Whitby. With cold weather approaching, this facility needs to be completed quickly.

Note: the warming shelter closed in the spring, as the location was not an appropriate space for an emergency shelter to operate 24 hours a day/seven days per week.

Why are you adding a shelter to a Whitby neighbourhood when you are aware of the challenges that it brings to a neighbourhood?

The law states that people have the right to housing, including shelter. 1635 Dundas is on a transit corridor that allows for people requiring public transit to actively engage in the community. It is also close to food options, medical clinics, and other community supports.

In addition to expanding housing options, the shelter spaces meet the demands within Durham’s system. Services, such as outreach teams and co-ordinated access improvements, are also being implemented to address the housing crisis. Seeking appropriate spaces that allow for indoor 24 hours services and sleep space is important to maintaining safety and wellness for service users and community members.

Why don’t you give people spaces to live, addresses to use, kitchens to cook in. Let them take their belongings inside and lock them up? This would be better than using the site as a drop-in shelter with beds in a big room.

There is capacity for these future uses at this site, and all options are being considered. The public engagement process underway is to determine what additional supports will be available in the facility.

The site has a floor plan that will allow for supportive and transitional housing units, as development and retrofits occur in future phases. The initial emergency shelter spaces will not require people to sleep in a dormitory set up. The large rooms available in the building will allow for services, such as establishing food security, providing housing-first services, support for employment, ID clinics, counselling and life skills education.

Why are we offering to support drug users and criminals while seniors are struggling? This should be a long-term care (LTC) facility.

The site will offer safe space to people experiencing homelessness. Homelessness is a housing status, not a person’s identity.

This facility requires repairs and updates. It does not meet space requirements for seniors, especially those who have long-term care needs.

Many people accessing shelters are seniors who cannot afford housing. 1635 Dundas can initially offer safe sleep space that is not set up in a large dormitory style.

The community engagement process is ongoing and so far, shows a preference for individual supportive and transitional housing units to support the people experiencing homelessness. This includes seniors who require support but are able to live independently.

There is a demand for child care centres due to the new child care plan. Why is this site not being converted to a child care centre instead of a shelter?

The Region is the provincially designated Consolidated Services System Manager for Early Years and Child Care. Durham’s child care system has expanded significantly over the past 10 years., with more than 29,000 spaces across the Region.

Currently, the Canada Wide Early Learning and Child Care (CWELCC) plan is reducing fees for parents and making child care more accessible. CWELCC includes a provincially approved expansion plan. This site was acquired by the Region as the Housing and Homelessness system manager to support the housing and homelessness system. We are in a housing and homelessness crisis, 1635 Dundas is part of a system development initiative that includes program and space expansions to meet current demands.

Tuesday, June 12, 2023, at 5 p.m.

Read our latest meeting minutes (minutes are released after approval at the subsequent committee meeting):

• April 11, 2023 - Minutes
• February 13, 2023 - Minutes
• December 12, 2022 - Minutes
• August 8, 2022 - Minutes
• February 14, 2022 - Minutes

Is supportive housing the same as a shelter or mental health facility?

Supportive housing means housing with supports—where residents have 24/7 access to on-site services and supports.

This is not a shelter or a mental health facility. It is an apartment building that offers accommodation for Durham residents who qualify for this type of housing. It also offers wrap-around services to set them up for success. 

Shelters are designed to provide temporary emergency shelter to individuals who have lost housing and have no other place to stay. The Regional Municipality of Durham does not have emergency housing other than through emergency shelters.

Who will live in this development?

Priority will be given to those who reside in north Durham/have ties to north Durham; are homeless or at risk of homelessness; and require the level of supports provided on site. Each person will consent to living at this location. They must also follow rules that are outlined in a shared agreement. These are important steps to help with life stabilization. This type of occupancy is excluded from the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA). Occupancy is restricted to one person per unit.

There are different housing options available in Durham Region for families and couples.

How many people are experiencing homelessness in north Durham?

The Built for Zero Monthly Report Card shows the current statistics for homelessness.

The project will focus on working with residents; creating an intentional community to combat isolation and foster a healthy, safe home for everyone. The establishment of a Residents’ Committee will give residents a strong role in shaping their community.

While this building is not a temporary homeless shelter, resident issues—such as mental health, addiction or violence—could be a reality. The Region of Durham recognizes that all issues cannot be avoided. We have a plan to address these situations should they arise. Support will be available to residents on a 24/7 basis to mitigate or eliminate these issues.

Our goal is to set these residents up for success.

Durham Region has established an Advisory Committee. This includes representatives from agencies serving the north, which will help to inform the on-site supports. The Region will continue to consult with the north Durham community, to determine community gaps/needs for services.

Residents living in the development are required to enter into a Participation Agreement that supports life stabilization. Each agreement is specific to the individual needs of each resident.  

With supports provided on-site, there will be minimal need for individuals to go elsewhere for services.

When needed, on-demand transportation can be used. On Demand services were expanded to Brock Township in 2019 by Durham Region Transit (DRT) to ensure the public transit network in Durham Region is a viable option for residents, regardless of where they live.

On Demand is a flexible and convenient option to help you connect to scheduled service or take you where you want to go when scheduled service isn’t an option.

Taking On Demand is easy:

• Call 1-866-247-0055, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week to book your ride. Booking requests can be made a minimum of four hours, and up to seven days in advance, of the trip.
• Provide the booking agent with your date, time, pick-up and drop off info for your trip. Your booking agent will help with timing and trip planning, ensuring you get where you need to go. 
• Be sure to have correct cash fare, or use the new PRESTO E-Ticketing app in case a PRESTO machine is not available.

DRT also offers Specialized Services for customers who do not have the ability to use scheduled service (eligibility requirements apply). 

To see a complete list of scheduled service routes, visit Our Services. Stay up-to-date on DRT service–including On Demand–by visiting the Planning your travel page of durhamregiontransit.com. DRT booking agents are also happy to answer any questions you may have. Call 1-866-247-0055 to learn more. 

Meals will be provided to tenants on-site, and pharmacy delivery will be available. With supports provided on-site, there will be minimal need for individuals to go elsewhere. When and where needed, on-demand transportation will be used.

There will also be a shared dining/kitchen area that will allow residents to come together, rather than being in isolation from one another.

Security features have been designed into the building. A security guard will also be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Security measures will be reviewed again after the first year of operation.

The Region will also monitor and evaluate demand for policing and paramedic services. This information will be used to inform resource allocation and service delivery.

Where will residents receive medical care, with limited doctors available in north Durham?

The Region’s health-care partners are always working to make health care access a priority in north Durham, as the area continues to experience growth. We continue to work together to find new ways of offering services. 

What is transitional housing with supports?

Transitional housing is supportive, yet temporary, accommodation meant to bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing. It offers structure, supports, life skills, and education and training.

The Oshawa Micro-Homes Pilot Project is time-limited, transitional housing. Residents enter into a Participation Agreement, as opposed to signing a lease, which means occupancy can be time-limited and tied in with participation in the program.

Where are the micro-home units located?

The micro-home units are located on Regionally owned land in central Oshawa, on a parcel fronting Olive Avenue to the south, Drew Street to the east and Banting Avenue to the north.

This land was acquired by the Region as part of the  Gibb Street and Olive Avenue road realignment and widening project. This location will be available until the realignment project starts in approximately five years, at which time the homes will be relocated to a permanent location. The permanent location has yet to be determined. 

Why was this site selected for this project?

Due to the immediate need for housing and the timing of the road realignment project, this Regionally owned land provided an opportunity to develop this pilot project. The land is ideal for micro-homes because it is already serviced; allows for a configuration that provides for optimal unit servicing; minimizes exterior walls for operating efficiency; provides better privacy and security for tenants; and has excellent access to public transit.

What is the design of the micro-home development?

There are 10 micro-home units in two clusters of five units. The units are modular and were manufactured indoors, then brought to the site for final installation on foundations pre-constructed on the site. The configuration includes a servicing area at the rear of each cluster to bundle servicing such as hydro, water, sewer and telecommunications services. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the units do not utilize any gas-fired appliances.

Below is the preliminary site layout:

Below are images of the units:

What supports does the Oshawa Micro-Homes Pilot Project have?

How are people selected to live in this development?

Micro Homes Participant Handbook

The Region is working with the Health, Homelessness and Housing Committee (H3), a sub-committee of the Durham Advisory Committee on Homelessness (DACH), to address the eligibility, intake process and ongoing supports needed for the Oshawa Micro-Homes Pilot Project.

The units are single occupancy. The Region is using the By-Name List, which is a list of people currently experiencing homelessness in Durham Region, to help match residents who will benefit most from this pilot. Community partners will continue to support them with case management to promote a safe, stable and supportive community.

By matching the right supports with stable housing, the Region aims to move forward to end chronic homelessness in our community.