As temperatures drop, Simcoe County is set to open a 50-bed homeless shelter on Rose Street. The structure arrived nearly complete, and Simcoe County is expected to apply for an occupancy permit this Friday. The shelter, to be run by the David Busby Centre, was originally scheduled to open in November, but was delayed due to permit requirements.

The number of homeless people in Simcoe County has risen by 159 since 2020 to 722 early this year. Fifty percent of them are in Barrie, Greg Bishop, the county's general manager for social and community services, told council. To address this issue, the city has taken steps in recent years to increase the supply of homeless shelters and warming centres.

The county, responsible for providing shelter services to homeless people, also funds four homeless shelters in Barrie run by the Salvation Army Bayside Mission, the David Busby Centre, Youth Haven, and the Elizabeth Fry Society of Simcoe County, Wendy Hembruff, the county's director of community programs and partnerships, informed council.

“There are 225 beds in the regularly funded system across the county,” Hembruff said. Of these, 152 are in Barrie. Bed occupancy changes every night, and in the last few days 21 shelter beds were unoccupied. However, not every homeless person is housed, as mental illness and other issues can prevent them from living in restrictive shelter facilities.

Bishop told council that the focus is to move from a shelter model to providing housing stability. The county also has three supportive housing programs, one of which is run by Lucy's Place.