Location: 25 Canterbury Place
Shelter residents: Youth ages 16-24
Estimated number of beds: 33
Expected opening date: Q1 2025
Service Operator: Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth
Eva’s Initiatives for Youth (Eva’s) will be reopening its shelter for youth experiencing homelessness at 25 Canterbury Place in the first quarter of 2025. Known as Eva’s Satellite, the site closed in 2021 to undergo much-needed state-of-good repair work, including replacement of plumbing and electrical systems, new flooring, and a new roof.
Once open, the site will provide overnight accommodation and critical services and supports to help youth experiencing homelessness achieve stability and move toward permanent housing.
The shelter program at 25 Canterbury Place will be operated by Eva’s, a community non-profit organization that has been serving homeless youth for more than 30 years and currently operates three shelters in Toronto. The site will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will provide critical shelter and wrap-around support services that aim to help youth experiencing homelessness build the skills needed to become successful in housing.
Services will include:
Additional partnerships may be established once the site opens to meet the needs of youth staying at the site.
The safety of staff, residents and members of the community is a priority for Eva’s and the City. Eva’s staff bring proven management practices and are trained in de-escalation, conflict resolution, and crisis prevention, intervention and management to ensure the safety of both residents and neighbours of the shelter.
The City is committed to engaging the community to support the program’s success – both for the residents and adjacent community.
The City has hired a Community Engagement Facilitator, Jane Farrow, Department of Words & Deeds, to lead and manage community engagement for 25 Canterbury Place. This community work will include meetings with key stakeholders and interested residents, and responding to questions or comments received from the community.
The City will also be establishing a Community Liaison Committee (CLC) where representatives from the local community (e.g., condo boards, resident associations, businesses or local community organizations) can meet regularly with staff from Eva’s and the City to share information, ask questions, and work together to problem solve community concerns.
If you are interested in joining the CLC or wish to learn more about 25 Canterbury Place, please email canterburyplace25@gmail.com.