Centre will open when temperatures are expected to reach -10°C and provide better winter warming and social supports for unhoused individuals in South Georgian Bay
Midhurst/January 10, 2025 – The County of Simcoe, Town of Wasaga Beach, and Faith Missionary Church are partnering to enhance winter warming for those living unhoused in the Southern Georgian Bay area. Opening on January 13, 2025, the Wasaga Beach Warming Centre is a temperature-activated warming centre, operating up to seven nights per week, from 8:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. The warming centre will be activated when temperatures are expected to fall below -10°C.
This additional warming centre in Wasaga Beach creates more opportunities for individuals living unhoused to come indoors when they are most at risk. While using County-funded warming centres, individuals can also access support to find shelter, housing, healthcare, and other services and supports. These services are part of a larger effort to help more individuals gain access social and wellness-related assistance and help them move to other levels of housing supports if they choose.
A true collaborative effort to support unhoused individuals, Faith Missionary Church will provide shelter and food, the Town of Wasaga Beach will donate cots, bedding and local public transit, and the County of Simcoe will financially support the operations of the warming centre through funding of operator costs.
“The Town of Wasaga Beach is proud to partner with the County of Simcoe and Faith Missionary Church on this important project,” said Mayor Brian Smith. “This new centre will help ensure that our most vulnerable citizens have better access to a warming centre when temperatures dip below -10, along with additional supports and services that may help them.”
“Working with community partners like the Town of Wasaga Beach and Faith Missionary Church allows us to continue building up services and supports for those who need us the most,” said Warden Basil Clarke. “It is because of important partnerships like these that we were able to find the space and the people to open a new warming centre that could ultimately save lives. We are grateful to the community for their support of this project.”
This is just one part of the County’s 10-point homelessness prevention strategy, which provides significant investments and resources to help unhoused individuals across the region. This comprehensive system response increases available warming and shelter spaces as the region approaches the coldest nights of the year.
The County reminds residents that warming centres are open during the coldest months of the year for vulnerable populations. These warming centres are part of the regional system approach to homelessness prevention with support from community partners.
The warming services are funded by the County of Simcoe in partnership with the Town of Wasaga Beach and are above and beyond the regular municipal service contributions. Those in need of shelter or warmth can always call 2-1-1 to connect with a nearby shelter or visit one of the warming centre locations listed on the County’s website.
About the County’s 10-point homelessness prevention strategy
The County of Simcoe’s 10-point Homelessness Prevention Strategy provides a strong, data-driven plan to help vulnerable residents and our communities. The strategy includes a considerable added investment toward the goal of preventing and ending chronic homelessness. For further details and ongoing updates to the homelessness prevention plan, visit simcoe.ca/HomelessnessSystem.
Some of the most recent highlights of the 10-point plan include:
- two active SRRP programs with two more planned to open in 2025
- since November 2024, the County has begun permanently transitioning 48 seniors (55+) out of emergency shelters and into assisted living programs and rapid rehousing programs
- 78 overnight warming spaces and an additional 20 daytime spaces created in 2024/2025 to support unhoused individuals during the coldest months of the year
- opened new County-funded warming centres in Barrie and Wasaga Beach
- Alternative Space Activation, introduced last winter, rapidly creates approximately 110 spaces in our emergency shelter locations when the weather drops below -10°C
- centralized the Motel Voucher Program through Community Connections’ 211 services, allowing spaces to expand dynamically as needed
About the County of Simcoe
The County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.
About the Town of Wasaga Beach
The Town of Wasaga Beach is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Ontario and Canada. We aim to be a place where people come to create memories that will last a lifetime. Collaborating with community groups and partnering with other levels of government to make life better for our most vulnerable citizens supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to build a more inclusive, caring and complete community. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a place with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive and complete neighbourhoods – a place where people come together to celebrate the Town’s rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
