The Off the Street Emergency Shelter program is being moved to the Canada's Best Value Inn on Regent Street to house the city's vulnerable population as part of the city's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The emergency shelter will be set up on the first floor of the hotel and will provide access to washrooms, showers and beds while allowing for proper physical distancing.
A supportive isolation shelter will be set up on the second floor, offering 24-hour care for persons who are homeless and are being tested for or are diagnosed with COVID-19.
The City of Greater Sudbury is using the more than $320,000 from the federal government to help prevent the spread to the city's homeless.
“Now that a local state of emergency has been declared, it allows us to act quickly and move ahead on specific local actions,” said Mayor Brian Bigger. “We will address the critical needs of our vulnerable populations, such as accommodations that allow for social distancing and access to showers and washroom facilities.”
The city has entered into an agreement with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CHMA) and Autumnwood Mature Lifestyle Communities to rent the hotel for the next three months.
Shelter users will continue to be supported by CMHA staff.
The new support system is expected to be in place by April 15.
For more information, visit greatersudbury.ca/covid.
