101 Placer Crt.

Renderings

Front area and entrance

 

Back patio and common area for shelter residents

 

Dining room area

 

Lounge area

Photos of Construction

Below are photos taken of the construction of the shelter at 101 Placer Court.

 

 

 

Site Selection and Operator

In 2018, in response to increased demand for shelter services, City Council directed Shelter, Support and Housing Administration (SSHA) to expand the number of permanent new shelter beds in Toronto by 1,000.  In 2020, this funding was changed to include both housing and shelter projects and renamed to Housing & Shelter Infrastructure Development (HSID) project.

 

101 Placer Court was chosen as a shelter site as part of this Council direction and to provide temporary accommodation and related support services that assist people to move into housing. The site was chosen for its proximity to public transportation and community services.

 

Homes First Society will provide shelter services at this site. Homes First has been providing supportive housing and shelter for over 35 years. They are one of the largest providers of services to people experiencing homelessness in Toronto.

Wrap Around Supports

Homes First front-line Community Shelter Workers will assist shelter residents with intakes, referrals, crisis management, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and general day-to-day support.

 

Homes First will also provide case management supports to residents. Homes First’s Intensive Case Management (ICM) teams include Housing Help Workers and Life Skills Workers. This ICM team will also include a Community Engagement & Programs Coordinator whose role will be to develop engaging programing and partnerships for residents as well as to respond to external community questions and concerns.

 

The shelter will also provide primary care and health care supports from external agencies.

 

The shelter will have a community space for programming, events, community partners, workshops and volunteer engagement.

Shelter Residents

All adults who are experiencing homelessness will be referred to the site. Some residents may come via referrals from Central Intake and other community agencies. For individuals who contact the shelter directly. Homes First will work with the individuals and Central Intake to find available and appropriate space.

 

Community Safety

Community safety is a priority for the City whenever new services open. Ongoing safety planning will be a key component of the community engagement process. Homes First staff bring management practices that have proven successful and all staff are trained on de-escalation, conflict resolution and crisis prevention, intervention and management.

 

The following safety measures will be put in place at 101 Placer to support the residents and community:

• Regular rounds of the property to ensure the safety of the residents and to ensure that the grounds are kept safe and clean
• Homes First shelter resident clean-up crew will go out multiple times per week to do a sweep of the property and surrounding area as well as to remove harm reduction supplies (needles, pipes, etc.) safely.
• Community Liaison Meetings will provide a space for community stakeholders to address concerns, talk with city representatives &Toronto Police and provide an avenue for solutions to reduce negative impact or safety concerns.
• Controlled access to building by Homes First staff.
• Internal and external cameras installed around the building and at access points.

It is important also to remember that people using shelter services are equal citizens of the city. They can move around communities and use amenities such as parks, public benches like all residents in our collective city. And like all residents, they are also expected to conduct themselves within the rules/laws and by-laws.

 

As needed, 911 should be called for crimes in progress or the non-emergency police number 416-808-2222 | 416-467-0493 (TTY) to report crimes where no person is in immediate danger (for example, theft, vandalism, fraud). If a shelter resident is found to have acted inappropriately, aggressively, violently, or criminally, they will be accountable for these acts, which may result in their discharge from the shelter.

Community Engagement

The City’s community engagement and planning process for shelters is focused on how communities can support and improve the success of the new service, and not the specific location of the site. The City typically engages the community in advance of opening a new shelter to provide information about the program and support its successful integration into the community. The process emphasizes communicating project information clearly and encouraging solution-focused discussion once the location has been secured.

 

The City has hired a community engagement team who will be gathering input from the community and sharing information about the shelter program at 101 Placer Court.

 

The community engagement plan will include:

• Reviewing and responding to feedback on key issues from the community
• Project updates and outreach as required
• Virtual stakeholder meetings for representatives of local resident associations, businesses, institutions and community groups
• Option to establish Community Liaison Committee (CLC) or other activities

 

Because of physical distancing restrictions, we will be running engagement events online and over the phone rather than in person.  For questions, comments or concerns, community members are encouraged to contact:

Jane Farrow, Dept of Words & Deeds

clc.101placercourt@gmail.com

437-522-9510

 

Community Outreach

The community engagement team (Dept of Words & Deeds, led by facilitator Jane Farrow) will be reaching out to local organizations, businesses, residents and community groups to answer questions, respond to concerns and gauge interest in forming a Community Liaison Committee. If you’re interested in being in touch for a phone briefing or email correspondence, please get in touch at clc.101placercourt@gmail.com.

 

Community Liaison Committee (CLC)

A Community Liaison Committee will be set up to provide a link between the staff at the site and the broader community. The role of the CLC will be to:

• foster and maintain positive relationships between the community, the service operator, and service partners to support the successful transition of the shelter into the community;
• facilitate information sharing and dialogue; and
• identify and address any issues, opportunities and concerns related to building operations.

 

If you would like to join the Community Liaison Committee as a representative of a local organization or group, send an email to clc.101placercourt@gmail.com.

COVID-19 Enhanced Safety Measures

Capacity is reduced to 58 beds to operate in accordance with COVID-19 infection, prevention and control measures, including physical distancing requirements.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has implemented a number of measures to protect people across the shelter system. This includes:

• encouraging physical distancing in all areas of the shelter
• ensuring the mandatory use of face coverings or masks
• encouraging healthy habits such as hand washing
• conducting symptom screening
• increasing infection control and prevention measures such as enhanced cleaning
• providing isolation and recovery sites for individuals who are awaiting results or test positive to recover

For a full list of COVID-19 measures implemented to enhance health safety in shelters, visit COVID-19: Changes to City Services.