Windsor's emergency shelter system saw unprecedented use this summer. Is it ready for the winter surge?

Windsor's Downtown Mission is the largest shelter operation in the city that's responsible for more than half of the area's emergency overnight beds. (Chris Ensing/CBC - image credit)
Windsor's Downtown Mission is the largest shelter operation in the city that's responsible for more than half of the area's emergency overnight beds. (Chris Ensing/CBC - image credit)

Standing outside Windsor's largest overnight emergency shelter, a man in a winter jacket sips from a white coffee mug, wondering if this will be the night he gets a bed.

He's trying to beat the line that forms outside the Downtown Mission.

"It forms very quickly. It's just a big snake line that happens so fast you have to run to get into it," he said.

He's one of more than 850 people in Windsor who are homeless, a growing figure caused by a housing crisis that's sent rent skyrocketing as people who operate the city's emergency shelter system are shocked by unprecedented demand.

On back-to-back nights, he hasn't been able to snag one of the 110 beds or crash pads inside the Mission.

"They said they're full up, all the beds are full," he said through a strained voice, a symptom, he says, of the pneumonia he's being treated for.

The man doesn't want CBC News to use his name, which CBC has agreed to, because he's worried the stigma attached to being homeless could lead to a landlord skipping over his housing application or stop someone from hiring him.

Getting a job and a place to live is an urgent goal, but when the sun starts to go down and the air gets colder, he's got a more pressing priority.

If he's late in line for a bed at the Mission, he can walk over to the city's homelessness and housing help hub and stay warm inside until midnight.

After that?

"Go find a tent," he said.

Downtown Mission 'extremely worried' heading into winter

There's 165 emergency shelter beds available in Windsor before centres enter into emergency mode to create overflow space.

That activates warming centres at the Salvation Army and Downtown Mission and some additional units at the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women and Families.

Staff at the Mission said they were shocked when all the shelters across the system were hitting capacity during summer months, when there's usually a dip in demand.

Executive director Rukshini Ponniah-Goulin says they've hired more staff and added crash mats, but the demand has people nervous heading into the winter.

Windsor's Downtown Mission is the largest shelter operation in the city that's responsible for more than half of the area's emergency overnight beds.
Windsor's Downtown Mission is the largest shelter operation in the city that's responsible for more than half of the area's emergency overnight beds.

Windsor's Downtown Mission is the largest shelter operation in the city, which is responsible for more than half of the area's emergency overnight beds. (Chris Ensing/CBC)

Matt Johnson, director of programs and services with the Downtown Mission, says he's "extremely worried for when the temperature takes a real dip."

"I'm concerned that more and more people are going to be outside, which means more and more people are going to be vulnerable to the elements and potentially we could have deaths."

Johnson said the Mission goes to extreme lengths to make sure they don't have to turn anyone away on cold nights, like cramming the hallway so people can stay warm.

"There's been times where I wish we had more staff to handle the amount of people, but I'd rather take the risk on cramming people in than having people risk spending outside and -20 degree temperature."

City anticipates more money for successful warming bus 

As temperatures begin to dip after an unseasonably warm fall, the city says they've done enough to keep people safe.

"We'll have enough space as part of our winter contingency planning," said Andrew Daher, the city's commissioner of human and health services.

He said there's 165 beds available at in emergency shelters during standard operations.

Daher says the city is expanding warming centres across the shelter system that will be open overnight and allow more than 75 people a space to stay warm.

The city said they believe there's 850 people who are homeless in Windsor. That doesn't mean they all need shelter beds because some people have other places to stay or don't want to use an emergency shelter.
The city said they believe there's 850 people who are homeless in Windsor. That doesn't mean they all need shelter beds because some people have other places to stay or don't want to use an emergency shelter.

The city said they believe there's 850 people who are homeless in Windsor. That doesn't mean they all need shelter beds because some people have other places to stay or don't want to use an emergency shelter. (Chris Ensing/CBC)

He said the city is also prepared to run a warming bus that ran between February and April this year but says the city needs the federal government to agree once again to help cover the costs.

Daher is anticipating some amount of money from the federal government before the end of the year that could go toward that project.

"It addressed a small contingent of the population who were sleeping outside and wanted to get a warm place, a little bit of a snack but at the same time didn't feel comfortable using the shelter system," said Daher.

Permanent solutions needed in Windsor

There were 35 people using that bus at any given time, with people on the bus the city hadn't connected with through outreach work before.

Some were able to get housing within a week.

"Shelters are a temporary solution, warming buses are temporary solutions, overflow or warming centres are temporary solutions. We need to find permanent solutions for the long term," he said.

Daher has previously said one of the ways to help get people permanently housed is through rent subsidies that combine with social assistance to help people maintain housing.

"It's effective, and this is a preventative homelessness strategy versus putting something into temporary Band-Aid solutions, which are emergency shelters or transitional beds," he told CBC News last month alongside front-line housing outreach staff doing in-person interviews with people who are homeless last month.

Watch | Windsor has a program that helps people with rental deposits and late payments

Back at the Mission, Johnson hopes Daher is right when he said the city is prepared for a surge in winter shelter demand.

"The numbers are pretty consistently high for us, and I think the other shelters as well, and my hope is that we have enough room, but right at this point, it's just hope," said Johnson.

When temperatures hovered around freezing overnight last week, Johnson said the 110 beds and crash mats were full, with 46 people using the warming centre.

The man with the mug waiting for the line to form for a bed cracked a joke when asked what he'll do during the colder months if he doesn't have stable housing and the shelters are operating above capacity.

"I'll put myself in jail if I have to, at least you stay warm," he said with a laugh.

Then, he got serious, talking about how without money or top-notch credit, it's impossible to find a place to live.

"You gotta have somewhere to live. If you don't have the income right now to rent a place and you have any problems with the tenant board in the past, you're screwed. You can't get an apartment."