While the overall homeless numbers in Timmins haven't changed with the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people relying on Living Space has, according to Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board CAO Brian Marks.
To allow for physical distancing, Living Space has limited beds at the Cedar Street shelter, as well as temporary beds at the McIntyre Curling Club and Northern College residence.
Typically in the winter, Marks said they accommodate about 25 people per night in the emergency shelter. That's in addition to the 12 transitional units on the top floor of the hub.
On nights where there is a cold-weather alert and the Timmins Native Friendship Centre gymnasium is also used, he said that number the overall number is closer to 50.
During COVID-19, however, there have been about 60 people per night across the three sites.
“What we have noticed in the time of COVID-19 is that those who were able to reside in the homes of people that they know, so they’re typically referred to as couch surfers, that those options ended for them. And so they became part of our more traditional homeless profile and are now requiring services through Living Space and so that’s why the numbers have gone up,” he said.
“Overall the homeless population numbers haven’t changed, just the profile has changed, which has created more of a burden on Living Space personnel and having to have house up to 60 people per night now at three different locations."
