At least 3 Thunder Bay outreach services shut before winter, raising fears 'people could die'

A bus that provided life-saving care for people experiencing homelessness during the past two winters in Thunder Bay, Ont., is now for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

The "care bus" was born during the first pandemic winter, out of reports of people dying in the city streets. The program consisted of a converted city bus offering free transportation, a warm place, personal protective equipment (PPE) and basic wound care for those in need.

During its last two winters of operation, funding shifted from one source to the next. But this winter, NorWest Community Health Centres has been unable to find the money to run the program, said Juanita Lawson, the organization's chief executive officer.

"Absolutely I'm worried about it. I'm worried, you know, the last couple of years during the winter have been extremely difficult for people," Lawson told CBC News.

The inability for NorWest to secure funding led Kasper Transportation, which leased the bus to NorWest last year, to post an advertisement for the vehicle on Facebook Marketplace, in fears of having the bus sit too long without use and develop mechanical issues, according to owner Kasper Wadinski.

It's just one of three key outreach services in the northwestern Ontario city that don't have funding to operate this  winter, leading to fears among front-line workers and agency providers about the implications for people struggling with precarious housing.

"People could die due to the cold," said Kyle Arnold, who has lived experience of addiction and homelessness, and now works as an peer support worker with People Advocating for Change through Empowerment (PACE). PACE operates one of the two warming centres in the city.

"We're still in an overdose crisis. We're still in a housing crisis. We still have mental health and addiction running rampant through this city, and we're fighting for support to help our people," Arnold said.

In September, Thunder Bay's Shelter House announced it was permanently shutting its Street Outreach Service (SOS) due to difficulties securing adequate funding and staff. The program, which had been in operation since 2014, was offering services to people experiencing homelessness that included transportation to shelters.

Matawa First Nations also confirmed to CBC News they have not secured resources to run their WiiChiiHehWayWin street outreach program, but are still looking for funding sources.

"We do not have outreach workers or other supports available at this time. I hope the city outreach network has plans on how they are going to work with our members on the street," said Francine Pellerin, the Health and Social Meno Biimadeswin director with Matawa.

'No other service I know to call'

Anna Betty Achneepineskum, one of three deputy grand chiefs with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, said many people relied on these outreach services.

"With Thunder Bay being the hub for many individuals, not only First Nations but other individuals come here for various types of services, I feel that this is going to threaten lives," Achneepineskum told CBC News.

"I know for a fact the SOS saved lives, and so it's very disturbing that there isn't any funds for those resources to be available."

It wasn't just life-saving interventions these services provided — they also offered necessary transportation, Arnold said.

"We have to remember, the care bus was stopping at the Thunder Bay regional [hospital] multiple times a day, picking up people from emerg [the emergency department]. As an ex-SOS driver, we were constantly going to emerg, transporting people back to shelters," he said.

"At this point, there is no other service I know to call."

Calls for organizations to do more

Dozens of social service agencies based in Thunder Bay gathered in early October for an urgent forum on mental health, addictions and homelessness services. Holly Gauvin, executive director of harm reduction organization Elevate NWO, made an emotional plea, saying she's aware of at least seven people who have died in the city while waiting for housing.

Whatever you are doing, it's not enough, Gauvin told the agencies gathered before her, calling on everyone to lean in and do more.

But throughout the forum, a common issue that was discussed was limited money to provide both emergency services and look toward long-term solutions.

Bonnie Krysowaty is a social researcher with the Lakehead Social Planning Council (LSPC), which offers a range of social services and manages the distribution of some major federal funding projects, like the Reaching Home grant, for the region. The LSPC used some of that money to help operate NorWest's care bus last winter.

Krysowaty told CBC News the organization wants to see these outreach services run this winter, but most of the money for this fiscal year has already been handed out to other important projects, like transitional housing.

The Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) — which manages child care, social housing and Ontario Works in the district — still has money available for organizations this winter, and outreach is a priority for them, said chief administrative officer Bill Bradica.

Those agencies have to apply for the funding, he said.

Lawson with NorWest told CBC News they have done that and are waiting to hear back.

"We look to continue having a more expanded outreach than there was, say, five years ago, so that we can get to people that are in encampments and having more of that capacity out there," Bradica said.

"In a number of cases, people that were working with those outreach services, they were placed in units that we own and continue to be supported by those organizations. If it wasn't for that service being provided, I think things would have been far worse for many people," he said.

But with temperatures dropping every day, people on the front lines of housing and addiction crises in Thunder Bay are worried time is running out to get these services back on the road.