Emergency Shelter to Permanent Housing
MSH’s Men’s Shelter operates with a housing focus. We provide a safe space for men and non-binary adults experiencing homelessness – either chronic or episodic, with the goal of assisting them to find sustainable, permanent housing.
The Early Intervention Program intentionally explores options with everyone entering the shelter system and works with those who may have other sheltering options available to them; sometimes that is intervening in an eviction process, assisting with transportation to join family in another city or province, or to help with grocery options or utility arrears to keep the electricity on.
“While some stays in an emergency shelter may be longer than others depending on the individual’s circumstances, shelter stays are not permanent,” said Shawn, Associate Executive Director of Programs.
When early intervention is not possible, and the individual has no other options for shelter, the case management staff in the Housing Up! Program work intensely with individuals through their housing journey. This is a long term commitment to support each individual from entry into the shelter system through to permanent housing for up to two years.
“We want to make sure they have all the connections in the city and community, mental health supports, addiction supports. We’re a housing first program but once they have a stable place, we keep working with them to ensure they remain housed,” explained Reinaldo, Director of Housing UP!.
The program opened in April of 2020, during the challenges of the pandemic, and since that time, the program has assisted 291 individuals in securing and maintaining permanent housing.
Our Men’s Shelter is preparing to move to a new location on King St E that has been purposefully built to operate as a shelter. Though our space on James St N has served us well, it was never designed to be a shelter and we are excited about the housing opportunities that this new building will bring to our community. In addition to our 58 emergency shelter beds, this new location will offer 50 transitional housing beds and will help us to transition those individuals to permanent housing in the community.
Emergency shelters are a part of the housing journey, providing a supportive and connective bridge to ending homelessness.
