St. Catharines getting temporary homeless shelter, permanent one next

Niagara | St Catharines | Community | Health | Original Features | Weather |

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Published October 25, 2023 at 9:38 am

This parking lot at 29 Riorden St. in St. Catharines will be the site of a temporary 50-bed homeless shelter starting next winter. It will be established for two years until a permanent structure is built elsewhere in the city. (Photo: Google Street)

A 50-bed temporary modular homeless shelter is coming to St. Catharines next winter, which will serve as a precursor to a permanent one in 2027.

Being built by Niagara Region, St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe confirmed that the temporary shelter would be set up at 29 Riordon St., which is a parking lot at the moment.

He noted that the toughest part of the decision for the region was picking an address in Niagara’s largest city. However, he applauded the final decision, saying it was the best one for the transient community in the rougher neighbourhood from Richard Pierpoint Park right down to Montebello Park.

“I appreciate that identifying a location was the most difficult part of the process; with almost a hundred different sites across the city reviewed by Regional Staff, the decision to locate at 29 Riordon will bring positives to the neighbourhood that might not have otherwise been realized,” noted Siscoe.

However, thus far, no decision has been made on the location of the permanent shelter to be built in three years.

Below is Siscoe’s announcement on social media yesterday.

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