Homelessness and housing help site can relocate anywhere in Windsor, says council

The future permanent location of Windsor's Homelessness and Housing Help Hub will no longer be limited to a two-kilometre radius of the downtown core, council has decided.

On Monday, the majority of city council voted to lift the previously-imposed boundaries and allow staff to look for potential H4 sites across Windsor.

The H4 is currently temporarily operating out of the former Windsor Water World building at Wyandotte Street East and Glengarry Avenue.

The hub operates year-round, offering help and drop-in services to those seeking shelter.

It's also an emergency overnight shelter during cold weather.

A study that was undertaken by the city in 2022 outlined that the H4 should be located within two kilometres of downtown Windsor. The reasoning was that the help hub should be accessible to those who need its services most, and also be near healthcare services.

A property at 700 Wellington Ave. was selected by the city as a permanent site for the H4 — with the proposed facility offering 64 one-bedroom units.

Leadership of the Downtown Mission of Windsor said they would re-locate to be closer to the Wellington Avenue site.

In late 2024, city council cancelled the plan, citing costs.

The new widening of the site-selection process was driven by downtown councillor Renaldo Agostino.

At the May 12 council meeting, Agostino questioned the two-kilometre restriction, and argued that the city's efforts to improve the downtown core were "not working."

On Monday, Ward 10 Coun. Jim Morrison said he supports expanding the area for the H4 because "it looks like we've been doing nothing."

Ward 8 Coun. Gary Kaschak said he's in favour of finding a new site, but he believes a boundary needs to be in place to ensure the H4 is connected to downtown services.

Ward 6 Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac agreed.

"I think we have to be cognizant of the fact that the community took part in an extensive undertaking," Gignac said.

Gignac expressed worry that the city has set expectations for other service providers that the H4 would be downtown.

Ward 1 Coun. Fred Francis shared that concern — but he supports expanding where the H4 can be located.

"We can't lose sight of what the key objective is, and the ripple effects," Francis said.

City staff say more services inside H4 allow for wider site selection

At Monday's council meeting, city staff members said they believe improvements to what the H4 offers will allow them to select a site outside the previously determined boundaries.

"I don't know if a two-kilometre radius is necessarily best practice," said Dana Paladino, the city's acting commissioner of human and health services.

"Location to the emergency room is not as critical as it was."

According to Paladino, the H4 now benefits from Shelter Health, a service that provides emergency care for people using shelter spaces.

Paladino said mental health care supports are also being added to the H4, and court services are more accessible today because of the prevalence of virtual meetings.

As a result of council's decision on Monday, city staff will now consider potential sites for the H4 city-wide, then bring a list for council to review.

From there, council will select the site and ask upper levels of government for funding to build the facility.

Last year, city staff said it could take three years to complete the project, with cost estimated at more than $50 million.