108 Harrison St.

Location: 108 Harrison St.
Demographic: Families 
Anticipated capacity: Up to 32 families
Estimated opening date: 2028
Service Operator: Red Door Family Shelter

The City of Toronto has secured 108 Harrison St. for use as a family shelter, providing a welcoming and caring place for families experiencing homelessness to stay as they work toward permanent housing.

The shelter is part of the City’s Council-approved Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy, which aims to open up to 20 new shelters citywide by 2033. These sites will help respond to demand and stabilize the shelter system.

Learn more about the Strategy and how shelters make a difference in people's lives.

The City is committed to working with the local community to support the success of the site and will be hiring a Community Engagement Facilitator to lead engagement. More information on this process can be found in the Working with the Community tab below.

Homelessness is experienced in all corners of Toronto and shelters are needed across the city to support people who are facing an immediate housing crisis.

Demand for family shelters continues to rise, with many families awaiting space in a family shelter program. According to the 2024 Street Needs Assessment, a point-in-time count and survey of people experiencing homelessness, 10% of people experiencing homelessness reported having children and/or other dependents.

Although the City currently operates more than 100 shelter programs across Toronto, there are no dedicated family shelters in the Davenport neighbourhood.

City Council has delegated authority to staff to approve and develop new locations for shelters and 24-hour respite sites. This is to ensure the City can work quickly to respond to shelter system pressures and provide critical supports to as many people as possible. It also helps to accelerate and depoliticize the shelter development process, which is consistent with a human-rights based approach to housing and related services for vulnerable residents.

There are a limited number of available areas in Toronto that meet the size, budget and zoning requirements needed to be a municipal shelter. Shelters are typically located in residential areas, often close to libraries, schools, community centres and health care services.

The shelter program at 108 Harrison St. will be run by Red Door Family Shelter, a community agency that has been a lifeline for women, children and families with nowhere else to turn for more than 40 years.

Red Door provides safe, temporary shelter and essential supports that help families heal, rebuild, and find lasting stability. Guided by a deep commitment to ending family homelessness, Red Door empowers families to move forward with dignity and hope — toward a brighter, more secure future in their communities.

The shelter at 108 Harrison St. will help families stabilize their lives, improve their well-being and move toward permanent housing.

The site will feature:

  • approximately 32 family suites, designed to be flexible to accommodate different family structures and sizes
  • a family resource centre/playroom so that families and the children can connect, helping to reduce social isolation

Renovations will be made to the building to better serve the diverse needs of families and integrate into the surrounding community, following best practices for shelter design. Learn more about new shelter design.

The shelter will be staffed 24 hours a day and provide wrap-around supports, including:

  • Meals and laundry facilities
  • Case managers who work with families to better understand their needs, develop personalized housing plans, and connect them with community services
  • Medical care
  • Specialized programming and recreational activities

Once the site opens, additional resources may be added to address the needs of families onsite.

Referrals to the program will be made through the City’s telephone-based Central Intake service.

The City is committed to working with the community to support the success of the site.

The City has hired Community Engagement Facilitator Optimus SBR to lead the community engagement process. This includes providing ongoing shelter updates, responding to questions, and working collaboratively with the City and local community members to problem-solve concerns that may arise.

A Community Drop-in Information Session was held on February 26, 2026 for residents to learn more about the shelter program, speak to staff and ask questions.

Residents who were unable to attend and have further questions, or wish to sign up to receive e-updates as the project progresses, can email 108Harrison@toronto.ca.