Location: 65 Dundas St. East
Shelter residents: All gender
Number of rooms: up to 153
Opened: August 2020
Service operator: Dixon Hall Neighbourhood Services
65 Dundas St. East was initially leased by the City in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to help provide additional space for physical distancing and safe indoor space for people living outside.
The City of Toronto has purchased the property to respond to the urgent need for permanent affordable homes. For further information about the changes coming to 65 Dundas St. East, and to stay informed, visit toronto.ca/65DundasEast.
The City has contracted management and provision of service at 65 Dundas St. East to Dixon Hall.
65 Dundas St. East provides numerous wrap-around supports for all shelter residents, including:
Safety and security is a priority for the City and Dixon Hall. Ongoing safety planning and delivery is a key component of the community engagement process. Dixon Hall, Toronto Police Services, Shelter Support and Housing Administration and Corporate Security at the City of Toronto work closely together in developing community safety measures for the location. A number of community safety initiatives and measures have been put in place for this site including:
Toronto is seeing a substantial rise in non-fatal and fatal opioid overdoses within the overall community, as well as within the shelter system, with a notable increase during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To help save lives, the City partnered with community agencies to launch iPHARE, an Integrated Prevention and Harm Reduction initiative. iPHARE provides harm reduction and mental health case management services.
It also includes Urgent Public Health Needs Sites, also known as overdose prevention sites or supervised consumption services, in selected shelters, allowing shelter residents to consume drugs under trained supervision to reduce the risk of overdose.
65 Dundas Street East was selected to host one of these sites and has been providing supervised consumption services (SCS) since December 2020.The SCS site is not open to the public. It is for residents of the hotel only.
The City and Dixon Hall has developed partnerships with other community agencies to ensure that this is a shelter that can be a resource for the community.
A community engagement process, which included an informational flyer and Information Session, was conducted in mid-September and the establishment of a Community Liaison Committee (CLC) was created in November 2020. The CLC includes various stakeholders from the community. CLC meetings are facilitated by Dixon Hall’s Community Engagement Supervisor. The CLC enables community members to learn more information about the site, ask questions, and work with Dixon Hall and the City to ensure the success of this service in the community. Please see a copy of the CLC Terms of Reference.
Dixon Hall’s Community Engagement Supervisor can also be contacted with any questions.
Contact Information
Dixon Hall – Immediate Site Contact
Dixon Hall – General Inquiries
The City of Toronto has purchased the property at 65 Dundas St. East to respond to the urgent need for permanent affordable homes.
Starting in September 2022, the shelter program at this location began a phased closure to accommodate conversion of the
building to housing. The full closure of the program is expected in summer 2024.
Dixon Hall will manage and support shelter clients to move into housing, whenever possible, or another shelter site, throughout the phased closure. Staff will assist clients with moves to their new locations and work to ensure a smooth transition of wrap-around supports.
City staff will continue to work with community stakeholders to ensure the current temporary shelter program at 65 Dundas St. East and planned housing program are successful in the community. For more information, please email: communityliaison@bigideaspace.ca
For further information about the changes coming to 65 Dundas St. East, and to stay informed, visit toronto.ca/65DundasEast.