Committee approves lease plan for transitional housing project in city's west-end

Taking pressure off the shelter system The City of Ottawa plans to lease a vacant retirement home on Corkstown Road to be repurposed as transitional housing for families.

The City of Ottawa's finance committee has approved a plan to direct staff to negotiate a lease agreement for a former retirement home in the city's west-end, with the goal of converting it to temporary housing for families experiencing homelessness.

Members of the Finance and Corporate Services Committee approved the report recommending staff to negotiate, enter into, conclude, execute, amend, and implement a lease agreement for the facility at 1 Corkstown Rd. to temporarily house families with children while more long-term housing options are found.

"Securing this facility will help ensure the family shelter system has sufficient space to serve families that need support," said Bay Coun. Theresa Kavanagh on her website.

"The site is a cost-effective approach that provides more opportunities for onsite programming and supports to transition families to long-term housing."

The site is a four storey, 170-unit building which currently sits vacant.

The exact terms of the lease will be reported to council and made public once the lease is approved.

Approximately 330 families experience homelessness every night, according to the City of Ottawa.

The city explains that by opening a transitional housing facility for families, the city would reduce its reliance on overflow hotels, motels, and post-secondary residences.

Council also recently approved an emergency shelter site at the Heron Road Community Centre which will become a temporary shelter for homeless individuals during the winter season.

1 Corkstown Road The site of a former retirement home on 1 Corkstown Road which is expected to be converted into transitional housing. (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)

Since 2014, the number of families accessing the shelter system annually has increased, peaking in 2019 with 1,166 family units being served, according to the report given to the committee.

"A transitional housing facility is a better option for families, as it provides more intensive onsite supports than can be offered in a scattered site model of service delivery," the report read.

"Supports can include life skills training, newcomer supports, education, etc. The length of stay in transitional housing programs can be longer as more intensive supports are provided to families to ensure a successful transition to long-term housing"