City to open Better Living Centre as shelter for homeless

Mayor John Tory to announce details Thursday of new respite site at Exhibition Place that will offer shelter to up to 100 people a night, the Star has learned.

Thestar.com
Dec. 21, 2017
By David Rider

Under pressure to open armouries to shelter homeless Torontonians, Mayor John Tory is expected Thursday to instead announce the opening of a site at Exhibition Place.

The Better Living Centre will open as a 24-7 respite centre, originally with space for 20 but ramping up to 100-person capacity, a source with knowledge of the plans told the Star late Wednesday.

Homeless people will be offered a mat or bed, the source said, adding city staff argued the building is better suited than the Department of National Defence's two armouries.

The spaces are part of city council's plan to add 400 shelter spaces - criticized by some on council as inadequate given a crisis that has shelters packed and homeless people dying.

The other 300 spaces are expected to be in motel rooms and within existing shelters, which homeless advocates call a Band-Aid solution.

Tory's office declined to discuss specifics, saying only that several councillors worked with him to "relieve the unprecedented pressure on the shelter system."

Tory, expected to announce the move Thursday morning, will also repeat a call for private and public housing providers to offer up spare units to shelter homeless people over the winter.

At a council debate earlier this month, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam noted that more than 70 homeless Torontonians have died this year.

"Live are definitely at risk - there is no doubt in my mind we will see deaths this winter just as we have seen deaths in previous winters," said Wong-Tam who wanted the city to add 1,000 shelter beds.