The City is currently accepting applications from Black-mandated non-profit organizations and/or groups interested in operating a shelter for Black people experiencing homelessness. The deadline for applications is 11:59 p.m., Friday, May 30.

 

The City is seeking Black-mandated non-profit organizations and/or groups interested in operating a shelter for Black people experiencing homelessness. Applicants must:

  • meet all of the requirements outlined in the applicable Expression of Interest Guidelines
  • have expertise in providing direct services to Black people experiencing homelessness
  • have a strong financial record providing these services

Collaborative applications are welcome from non-profit organizations interested in operating a site together.

The Black-mandated shelter is part of the City’s Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy (HSCIS), which aims to open up to 20 new shelter sites by 2033.

Approved by City Council in November 2023, the Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy (HSCIS) outlines a plan to transition the City’s shelter system from an emergency-focused pandemic response, to a long-term proactive model that supports recovery and stability of the shelter system.

Through HSCIS, between 2024-2033, the City plans to develop up to 1,600 new shelter spaces across up to 20 new shelter sites. These spaces will enable the City to move away from the use of temporary shelter hotels and toward smaller, more purpose-built sites that are more cost-efficient and better service client needs.

The City is committed to ensuring that its homelessness services, including emergency and transitional shelters, are accessible and responsive to the needs of all people experiencing homelessness. Under HSCIS, the City will be looking to identify growth in areas where there is significant need, such as families, youth, Black-led, and Indigenous spaces.

Through the Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy, the City has committed to creating a Black-mandated shelter that provides culturally appropriate services for Black people experiencing homelessness.

In December 2017, City Council approved the Toronto Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism to help address the systemic barriers faced by Black people in Toronto and ensure more equitable policies, programs and services. Specifically, recommendation 10 of the Action Plan relates to improving shelter conditions to better support Black Torontonians. The Five-Year Action Plan was the result of a collaborative effort between the City of Toronto and Torontonians of Black and of African descent.

The City has committed to ensuring that its homelessness services are accessible and responsive to the needs of all Black individuals experiencing homelessness. The creation of a distinct Expression of Interest (EOI) for a Black-mandated operator takes into consideration the distinct needs and experiences of Black clients experiencing homelessness. To develop the EOI, the City held engagement sessions with Black serving agencies, Black-led community and grassroots organizations interested in operating a municipal shelter.

At least one Black-mandated shelter will be developed through the Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy (HSCIS). Once a site is secured, the shelter development process may range from three to five years before the shelter site opens.

The City continues to host a Knowledge Exchange Table with service delivery partners to respond to the unique needs of Black populations experiencing homelessness.

A Qualified List will be developed to select operators for future HSCIS Black-mandated sites or other relevant TSSS shelter projects.

Note: Black refers to people of African descent who self-identify as Black. Other terms that are used interchangeably with Black are: Black Canadians, African Canadians, and People of African Descent (e.g. Afro-Latinx, Afro-Indigenous, Afro-Caribbean, East African, West African, Southern and Central African, etc.). For the purposes of this EOI, the City uses Black to encompass all the terms above.

Summary

Proponents must meet the following requirements to be eligible for this Expression of Interest (EOI):

  1. A Black-mandated (B3) organization or group is defined as being Black-led, Black-serving and Black-population focused, and will be assessed based on the following key criteria:
    • Black Led: An organization that is led by a majority (50 per cent and over) of paid staff and board members who self-identify as Black or are of African descent.
    • Black-focused: An organization that has a mandate that explicitly states that it serves Black communities and is grounded in Black/African-centered approaches across services and programs.
    • Black-serving: An organization that primarily serves Toronto’s diverse Black communities, including but not limited to African-descendant populations, such as Black Francophones, Afro-Indigenous, Continental African, Caribbean descendant, 2SLGBTQ+, queer and trans, refugee and newcomer populations, and Black youth, seniors, children and families.
    • Community accountability and trust: Responds to the pervasive and emergent needs of Black populations and continually develops and maintains positive relationships within Black communities being served, and with other Black-mandated organizations and groups.
  2. Be incorporated as a non-profit organization with a financial statement audited within the last 23 months.
    • Unincorporated associations and non-profit organizations may apply with a trustee.
    • For-profit organizations, unincorporated associations, municipal or government organizations are not eligible to serve as a trustee.
  3. Be primarily located and provide services in the Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, York, Durham and Peel Regions).
  4. Be in good standing with the City (e.g., recipients of funding must have met and not be in default of the terms and conditions of current or previous funding or operating agreements).
  5. Commit to and abide by the terms of the EOI Guidelines, the Toronto Shelter Standards, the Confronting Anti-Black Racism (CABR) Directive and other standards as defined in the Operating Agreement.
  6. Commit to operating a municipal emergency shelter program for a minimum of ten years.
  7. Commit to intaking new/returning clients through the City’s defined referral processes (e.g., Central Intake, Streets to Homes, the Encampment Office).
  8. Commit to take all reasonable measures to accommodate clients accompanied by their pet, including service animals.
  9. Commit to paying all front-line staff employed by the shelter an appropriate wage (minimum of $53,000 annual or higher, based on 2025 figures).
  10. Commit to the terms that administrative costs (overhead expenses) will be capped at 10 per cent of project expenses.

Organizations with less than one year of municipal shelter experience are welcome to apply and will have the opportunity to provide information on how their experience is transferrable. These organizations are strongly encouraged to identify mentors to support with capacity building and will have the opportunity to outline their plan that speaks to this work. 

Read the complete Shelter Operator Expression of Interest Guidelines – Black-mandated Shelter Stream.

Collaborative Applications

Non-profit organizations can work together to submit an application, so long as one organization is identified as the lead and is responsible for executing all agreements with the City. The organizations can work in partnership to operate the shelter, with each organization having specific roles and responsibilities. Collaborative applicants will be required to submit a partnership agreement at a later stage in the EOI process. Please note that a collaborative organization is different than a trustee organization.

Working with a Trustee

Unincorporated Black-mandated organizations or groups can apply by partnering with a trustee organization that supports fund administration and other operations. This applies only if the lead organization is an unincorporated association and/or incorporated non-profit organization without a financial statement that was audited within the last 23 months.

Successful applicants will be required to provide the scope of work listed below.

Please note this is a high-level description of requirements detailed in the Toronto Shelter Standards and the Confronting Anti-Black Racism (CABR) Directive.  Applicants should familiarize themselves with the Toronto Shelter Standard as it sets clear guidelines and minimum requirements that all emergency and transitional shelters funded or operated by the City of Toronto are expected to meet.

Operational Requirements

  • Operate 24/7 365 days a year, and ensure the implementation of business continuity plans
  • Commit to regular site visits/audits, annual program evaluation and reviews by Toronto Shelter & Support Services (TSSS) and other City accountability officers
  • Use, and ensure the quality and privacy of information accessed through TSSS’ Shelter Management Information System (SMIS)
  • Participate in collecting and reporting on performance indicators

Program Requirements

  • Provide individualized and housing-focused case management, including follow-up supports that are culturally appropriate
  • Connect clients to culturally appropriate external services, including health care services when necessary
  • Provide hygiene products specific to individuals who self-identify as Black or of African descent
  • Apply an Anti-Black racism lens to create programs, policies and services that promote client outcomes and ensure staff safety
  • Designate a Confronting Anti-Black Racism (CABR) lead to support the site implementation of CABR policies, programs and supports
  • Provide culturally appropriate food and nutrition for all service users
  • Provide a culturally safe spaces for Black clients and staff
  • Accommodate all clients within the applicable sector, regardless of their unique identity and support needs
  • Work from client-centred, strength-focused, human-rights, trauma-informed and equity-focused lenses
  • Provide harm reduction in alignment with Toronto Shelter & Support Services’ Harm Reduction Framework
  • Participate in peer-support and client engagement programs

Partnership and Community Engagement

  • Build connections with community homeless and health service agencies
  • Work with TSSS and other funders for additional resources
  • Act as a hub for community connections and integrated services
  • Maintain strong community relations (e.g., maintain a clean facility, respond to complaints, proactively engage with the community), as well as lead engagement initiatives in support of the site and surrounding community

Asset Management Requirements

  • Implement facility management, cleanliness, pest management, and maintenance policies and plans
  • Conduct facility maintenance and repairs, as necessary
  • Participate in regular building condition audits
  • Ensure state of good repair work

Staffing Requirements

  • Maintain required staffing levels, including a 1:20 staff-to-client ratio for housing/case workers
  • Ensure staff have a broad range of training, in compliance with Section 12.4.2 of the Toronto Shelter Standards

Operational Funding

The City provides successful applicants with the funds needed to deliver a shelter program, as required, within a reasonable range of comparable municipally funded shelter operations. Successful applicants are required to enter into an Operating Agreement with the City’s Toronto Shelter & Support Services division, prior to receiving funding. Ongoing operational funding is subject to annual review and contingent on City Council’s annual budget approval.

Capital Funding and Facility Specifications

Successful applicants will operate emergency shelter programs in a facility provided by the City. In general, these facilities will:

  • be designed with input from the successful applicant and City staff, where possible
  • accommodate approximately 70-100 spaces, subject to program delivery model and clients served
  • comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code
  • include sufficient confidential areas for case management and office staff
  • feature wireless internet connection to be made freely available to staff and clients
  • include an outdoor space and space for pets and service animals

Submit an Application

Prior to submitting an application, applicants should ensure they:

Applications will not be accepted for any of the following reasons:

  1. Applications that are submitted later than the posted deadline.
  2. Applications that are incomplete and/or deemed ineligible.
  3. Applications that are not completed via the electronic application listed above (e.g., email, fax, physical copy).

Evaluation Process

Eligible applications will be evaluated and scored by an Evaluation Committee made up of a staff from across the City’s Toronto Shelter & Support Services Division. These staff bring with them expertise and knowledge in the areas of shelter operations, anti-Black racism, direct service delivery, budget and capital development, among other areas. Complete details on evaluation criteria and scoring can be found in the Shelter Operator Expression of Interest Guidelines.

Proponents will be evaluated and scored according to their:

  • depth and length of experience in delivering programs and services for Black individuals experiencing homelessness
  • financial and organizational health
  • strength of proposed shelter program
  • experience operating a municipal emergency shelter

The Proponent who receives the highest score on their application (“Prospective Proponent”) and is deemed the best match for the Black-mandated site will be invited to participate in the second stage of the EOI, which is a due diligence exercise. This includes but is not limited to a review of financial and organizational health, B3 self-assessment verification and compatibility with Toronto Shelter Standards, prior to being deemed the Successful Proponent for the site.

Should an organization successfully complete Stage 2 of the EOI and agree to move forward, the Evaluation Committee will make a recommendation to the General Manager of Toronto Shelter & Support Services for final selection.

Applicants that do not meet the eligibility criteria will not have their applications proceed to a full review.

All eligible applicants will be informed of the outcome of the Expression of Interest. All decisions are final and there is no appeal process.

Unsuccessful proponents can request feedback from TSSS on their Application via email to ShelterEOI@toronto.ca within 30 calendar days of receiving notification of their unsuccessful application.

Qualified List

Applicants that achieve a score of at least 60 out of 100 will be added to a ‘Qualified List’. This list may be used for future Black mandated HSCIS sites or relevant TSSS’ shelter projects.

Information Sessions

The City is hosting virtual information sessions for Black-mandated organizations interested in applying to the Expression of Interest to run a Black-mandated shelter. Each session will cover the eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and a high-level overview on how to apply to the EOI. Information Sessions are optional and registration is not required.

    Session 1: Session 2:

    Organizations who are unable to attend an information session, can email ShelterEOI@Toronto.ca to schedule a virtual appointment for City staff to provide a high-level overview of the information session presentation.

    Application Resources

    Application Period

    • Deadline for questions is Tuesday, May 27, 2025
    • Applications are due by 11:59 p.m., Friday, May 30, 2025

    Evaluation Period

    • Evaluation will take approximately 1-3 months, depending on the volume of applications received.
    • All eligible applicants will be informed of the outcome of the Expression of Interest.

    For More Information

    Should you have questions regarding the EOI Application and process, please email ShelterEOI@toronto.ca.

    The Expression of Interest to operate a new Indigenous shelter closed on Wednesday, January 29. The City is currently evaluation applications and expects to inform all eligible applicants of the outcome in Q2 2025.

    Application Resources

      The general Expression of Interest to become an operator of a shelter to support single adults, families, youth or seniors experiencing homelessness closed on Sunday, October 6, 2024. The City has evaluated applications and expects to inform all eligible applicants of the outcomes in Q2 2025.

      Application Resources