Commissioner's Office
Community &
Neighbourhood
Services
55 John St., Stn. 1111
Toronto, ON M5V 3C6
Tel. (416) 392-8302
Fax (416) 392-8492
August 28, 1998
To:Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee
From:Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services
Subject:Update - 11 Ordnance Youth Shelter Project, Trinity Niagara Ward
Purpose:
This report provides an update on the development of the project at 11 Ordnance. Further to
the report of June 9, 1998 which assigned 11 Ordnance Street for a youth shelter project, we
have selected a lead agency. This report requests authority for the Commissioners of
Community and Neighbourhood Services and Corporate Services to enter into agreements
with this agency and process capital funding as renovation work progresses.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
The Capital Leverage Fund contains $500,000.00, allocated to support the capital costs of
this project. These funds reside in a reserve account created for this purpose.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that:
(1)Council confirm the selection of Eva's Place as the lead agency to develop and operate
the extended youth shelter project at 11 Ordnance Street, and authorize staff to enter into
agreements, in form and content satisfactory to the Commissioner of Community and
Neighbourhood Services and the Commissioner of Corporate Services, with regard to:
(a)lease of the building and operation of the program by Eva's Place; and
(b)disbursement of capital grants to Eva's Place as renovation work progresses, up to a total
maximum of $500,000.00 (funds have been allocated for this purpose in the Capital
Leverage Fund).
(2)The appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to
give effect thereto.
Council Reference/Background/History:
At its meeting of June 9, 1998, the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee
adopted a report which provided an update of the development of 11 Ordnance Street as an
extended shelter project for street youth. This report was originally requested during
consideration of the Capital and Operating Budget of the Community and Neighbourhood
Services Department on March 30 and 31 and April 2 and 3, 1998. The June 9, 1998 report
assigned the existing City-owned site at 11 Ordnance to Community and Neighbourhood
Services Department for a youth shelter demonstration project and also recommended that if
and when the property is required for the Front Street Extension, the building will be
vacated.
Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:
The project at 11 Ordnance is proceeding as outlined in the previous report and continues to
be an extended shelter project to assist fifty homeless youth at the 11 Ordnance site to
develop the skills necessary to get and keep housing and employment. It will assist youth to
utilize existing resources and to integrate into the local community during the program.
Youth will also receive follow-up assistance with the integration into their community of
choice after they leave 11 Ordnance.
A selection committee chose Eva's Place, a community agency with a history of working
with the municipality, to be the lead agency to work with the City to develop and implement
this project. The selection process included requests for letters of intent which were sent to
22 agencies with one month to reply. Four agencies submitted letters and the committee
selected Eva's Place based on the criteria outlined in the June 9, 1998 report.
Eva's Place is a registered charity which currently operates the North York Emergency
Home for Youth and until recently operated the Satellite Shelter in the Shepherd Subway.
Eva's Place has demonstrated a strong commitment to helping homeless youth to break the
cycle of homelessness and has a history of positive working relationships with
municipalities, homeless youth, agencies and service clubs. Since hearing about the 11
Ordnance project, Eva's Place has been consulting with homeless youth about program and
design issues.
Staff and the Executive Director of Eva's Place were favourably received by the local
neighbourhood association. Staff are keeping the local councillors up-to-date.
The Resource Working Group will meet early this fall to begin to work with Eva's Place
and the City to further develop the model and to address issues such as consultation with
key stakeholders and program evaluation. Participants will include community agencies
with expertise in operating youth hostels, housing projects, employment programs for street
youth and health care services for street youth and will ensure that this project is strongly
connected to the appropriate sectors.
The $500,000.00 from the Capital Leverage Fund is adequate to ensure that the
mechanical/structural systems are sound enough so that replacement and reserves are not
needed in the near future. In addition, it will provide help to prepare the building for
extended hostel accommodation. Work is proceeding on the necessary design drawings.
Now that program objectives are clear, it is estimated that we will require additional capital
funds in 1999. We are also actively pursuing external resources.
In order to proceed, a lease and operational agreement that meets both the needs of the City
and the project will be prepared by the Corporate Services Department through the Facilities
and Real Estate Division and the Legal Division. Corporate Services staff will be overseeing
the project and will recommend payments to Eva's Place as work progresses. Every attempt
is being made to employ homeless youth in the construction.
All legal documents will note that if and when the property is required for the Front Street
Extension, the building will be vacated.
Conclusions:
This project is generating considerable excitement and interest in several sectors as the
needs of homeless youth continue to be highlighted. We believe that the 11 Ordnance
project is an excellent opportunity for creative responses to a critical need - housing for
homeless youth. Eva's Place is now working on developing the program and the design. A
lease and operating agreement with Eva's Place are now needed to implement this project.
Contact Name:
Joanne Campbell
General Manager
Shelter, Housing and Support Division
Telephone: 392- 7885
SHIRLEY HOY
Commissioner of Community & Neighbourhood Services
