Location: 2204-2212 Eglinton Ave. W.
Demographic: Adults of all genders, including couples
Anticipated capacity: 80 people
Estimated opening date: 2028-2030
Service Operator: Fred Victor
The City of Toronto has secured 2204-2212 Eglinton Ave. W. for use as a municipal shelter, operated by Fred Victor, that will provide critical services to help individuals experiencing homelessness move to 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 .
The City is committed to working with the local community to support the success of the site and has hired Community Engagement Facilitator Third Party Public to lead engagement. Sign-up to receive e-updates as the project progresses. Community Bulletins with answers to frequently asked questions can be found in the Working with the Community tab below.
The City is proposing to amend the Zoning By-law to permit a 6-storey residential building at 2204-2212 Eglinton Ave. W., which will be used for the shelter program. While a municipal shelter is already permitted on the land, an amendment is required to allow for the proposed built form.
The session will also be used to discuss proposed amendments for 1220 Wilson Ave. and 2535 Gerrard St. E.
Homelessness is experienced in all corners of Toronto. Shelters are needed across the city to support people who are facing an immediate housing crisis and may be staying in parks, or other public spaces, to get the services they need to find and secure housing.
Staff assessed 100 sites across Toronto to determine if they met the City’s criteria for shelter use.
In 2023, the Toronto Parking Authority reviewed City assets to determine which ones were surplus to operational needs. Through this exercise, it was determined that the vacant lot at 2204-2212 Eglinton Ave. W. was no longer required for their use. CreateTO, an agency that manages the City’s real estate holdings, then conducted a thorough evaluation and determined that the lot would be best used as a shelter location.
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.
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.
The shelter at 2204-2212 Eglinton Ave. W. will be operated by Fred Victor, a multi-service organization that is committed to helping people rebuild their lives. Serving communities for 130 years, Fred Victor has grown from a single mission at Queen and Jarvis to a multi-service organization with more than 25 locations across Toronto. In addition to affordable housing, transitional housing, and emergency shelters, Fred Victor provides comprehensive supports to help people secure and maintain a safe place to live.
The shelter will serve approximately 80 adults of all genders, including couples, and will be purpose-built to meet the needs of clients and integrate into the surrounding community. Learn more about new shelter design.
The still will be staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week and will provide outcome-focused supports to help clients improve their well-being and stabilize their lives.
Services will include:
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 Third Party Public 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 collectively problem-solve concerns that may arise.
Residents can sign-up to get email updates as the project progresses.
The following have been created to provide timely updates on the shelter and answers to frequently asked questions:
The City also held a Community Drop-in on May 13, 2025 to provide community members an opportunity to learn more, ask questions and share feedback with the City.
Should you have further questions, please email 2204eglinton@gmail.com.