Durham Region says homeless shelter needed as some 'shocked' by consultation process

A group of Whitby residents say the Region of Durham didn't adequately consult them about plans for a new homeless shelter, and they worry about disruptions to their community.

The 1635 Dundas St. E. site in Whitby used to be the Sunnycrest Nursing Home, until it closed in 2022. The region purchased it for $13.7 million and last month announced plans to turn the home into "temporary housing and wrap-around supports."

Representatives for the region say they only plan to place about 45 people experiencing homelessness into the shelter — many of whom are already living in the neighbourhood.

"We're seeing people who are families, living in vehicles, so finding solutions that move across communities is a necessity," said Lisa McIntosh, the director of income, employment and homeless supports with the region.

There's been an uptick of need for warming space, along with an increase in homelessness and asylum seekers — meaning that the region urgently needs to find more shelter space, she said. 

According to the most recent data from April, Durham said "at least" 267 people were experiencing homelessness in the region, and of those, 161 were experiencing homelessness for six months or longer. 

Of the 267, 154 are in Oshawa, 22 are in Whitby, 50 are in Ajax, 10 in Pickering, 21 in North Durham, and six do not have categorized locations.

But the introduction of the shelter has caught the neighbourhood "completely off guard," said resident John Kehagias, one of over a dozen local residents who formed a group to express their dismay over a lack of local consultation before the region purchased the property. 

"Just completely shocked, with no consultation, nothing," he said. "I've felt ambushed in some ways, or sidelined."

The region held a meeting on Aug. 30 to consult with residents regarding the site. Some of the residents told CBC Toronto it was clear the region was set on using the former home as a shelter. 

"There was no transparency at all, and in fact we all found out by word of mouth. It makes you feel the people who you voted to represent you, are perhaps having their own agenda," said local resident Gary Dunsmuir. 

Chris Leahy, the regional councillor for Whitby, told CBC Toronto he agrees the consultation process was not thorough. 

"There is a homeless challenge, we are trying to deal with it. My main concern is with how this is going down," said Leahy. He said the Aug. 30 meeting involved the region asking residents to help name the facility, rather than providing concrete answers to their questions.

"What's going to happen if there's more than 45 people trying to get in the shelter?" he said. "There weren't really any answers or plans."