New 20-bed emergency shelter for women set to open in Cambridge this fall

A new 20-bed emergency shelter for women is set to open in Cambridge later this year.

YWCA Cambridge will operate the temporary space out of Grace Bible Chapel on Grand Avenue S. and plans are to have it open by mid-November after renovations are completed at the church.

The shelter will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It will also have wraparound supports on site and staff will work to help the women find affordable housing in the community.

There is a shelter for women who have experienced intimate partner violence run by Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region, but YWCA Cambridge CEO Kim Decker says that's not enough for women facing homelessness in the city.

"Currently, there are no options," Decker told CBC News. When asked why there is no emergency shelter for women experiencing homelessness, she said it's because it often hasn't been seen as a big problem because the issue is often "hidden."

"What we found through our research is that women stay hidden for all sorts of reasons. And one of the biggest reasons is for their own personal safety," Decker said.

"Oftentimes, you won't see [women] on the street," she said. "They'll sleep in a car or they'll sleep on a couch with friends or they're in tiny, small encampments hidden away where no one can see them."

Decker says the shelter will be considered temporary because there are plans for a more permanent solution in Cambridge, although there is no timeline for that as of yet. She says they plan to do more consultations to ensure their next steps are in line with what women may need.

"It was important for us to go out and to talk to women who are experiencing homelessness to understand what it is that they needed in a shelter," Decker said.

"Is 20 beds enough? Probably not. But when we've had nothing, this is a really good start."

The Region of Waterloo oversees emergency shelters in the community. In a release, regional Chair Karen Redman said it's a "much-needed space" for women in the community.

"Ensuring individuals experiencing homelessness have supports available to them and spaces they feel comfortable accessing is an essential first step in the housing process," Redman said, adding regional council "will continue working to ensure everyone has a place to call home."

Byron Burton, associate pastor of church ministries at Grace Bible Chapel, said in a media release the church is "thankful" to work with the YWCA and the Region of Waterloo to provide the space.

On Tuesday, regional councillors are set to discuss a report about the future of 84 Frederick St., in Kitchener. The building was purchased by the region earlier this year from YW Kitchener-Waterloo. It had served as a women's shelter for decades until its closure at the end of June.