TIMMINS - The four location options for a proposed project to add more shelter spaces have been announced.
From today (Feb. 24) to March 14, the City of Timmins is gathering feedback on where a potential housing, outreach, protection and engagement (HOPE) initiative could be set up. If approved, it could create a designated space for a mining camp-type setup or other modular housing to create up to 40 temporary housing spaces.
The four possible locations, along with some of the points noted by the city, are:
- Highway 655 on the east side of the road before Ross Avenue
- It's 1.7 kilometres to downtown
- People may have to cross the highway or walk along it to access essential services
- The area is used as a sliding hill in the winter and is the favoured site for a possible new multi-use recreation complex
- 360 metres from the nearest residential property
- It's not suitable for the relocation of Living Space
- Spruce Street South snow dump
- 117 metres from the nearest residential property
- 1.6 kilometres to downtown
- 110 Feldman Rd., just west of the Bailey bridge
- 1.8 kilometres to downtown
- 318 metres from the nearest residential property
- Transportation would be needed for people to access essential services
- Pine Street South, past Cowboy Lake
- 5.9 kilometres to downtown
- 600 metres from the nearest residential property and 1.6 kilometres from the Sheridan Trailer Park
- Transportation would be needed for people to access essential services
- No permanent water or sewer connections
RELATED: Timmins looking at sites for encampments
SEE: 'Some services will be cut' to fund proposed encampment alternative: Marks
The HOPE initiative is a project between the City of Timmins and Cochrane District Services Board (CDSB).
At the Dec. 23, 2024, emergency meeting of Timmins council, members directed the CDSB to apply for the provincial encampment response initiative. The goal is to move people from encampments into shelter and semi-permanent housing. The application was successful, with over $3.1 million approved.
Here's what you need to know about the proposal right now.
What stage is the project at?
The only item approved so far is to gather feedback on potential locations. That survey launched today and is open until March 14.
The public comments will be shared with council at the March 18 meeting. That insight will inform their decision on how to move forward.
When does the project have to be approved?
It's a tight turnaround to gather the information and make a decision. The province needs a deal signed by the city and CDSB by March 21.
What's the cost and who will run it?
It would be located on muncipally owned land and the the CDSB would own the facility.
The $3.1 million approved is only for capital costs. There is no funding to operate it.
The ongoing operational dollars would be on the CDSB.
At the Feb. 20 CDSB meeting, its CAO Brian Marks said there's uncertainty about who would run it. If the board uses existing funding, he said some of its current services will be cut.
"Some service providers will need to lose money, and we'll have to budget for that to support this facility," he said.
Does this mean Living Space is moving?
No. But it could.
The three options council has to choose from is to maintain the status quo, use city-owned land for HOPE for a 40-unit complex, or a 40-unit HOPE complex that integrates the Living Space relocation into it. No decision has been made on this yet.
How to participate
The City of Timmins has laid out all of the information online here. It includes a link to the survey, a PowerPoint presentation on the options, and a video.
The surveys are also available at Service Timmins, which is located in city hall.