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Council considering Choices Shelter for Out of the Cold program

June 9, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Sam Odrowski

Orangeville Council recently directed Town staff to work with Choices Youth Shelter to put in place an Out of the Cold program for the upcoming winter season.

At a regular meeting last Monday, Council voted unanimously to have Town staff bring forward details about a possible collaboration with potential cost scenarios for 2023 budget deliberations.

Orangeville’s interim CAO Ray Osmond said the County of Dufferin approved funding for Choices’ men’s shelter as of April 28. The new men’s shelter will operate separately from their youth shelter and is slated for opening in July.

The money that’s been allocated to Choices from the County is currently being used to renovate a recently purchased triplex in Orangeville that’s being converted into a shelter.

Osmond noted that it could be used as an Out of the Cold program location for homeless or vulnerable people in the community during the winter months.

He commented on some of the benefits of running an Out of the Cold program with Choices instead of doing it themselves at Tony Rose, as was initially discussed last winter. Osmond noted that it will be easier to do it through Choices since they won’t have to deal with facilities or finding a space to hold it.

Mayor Sandy Brown noted that Choices will also have all the appropriate staffing and security on hand, making it easier on the Town.

“So it certainly makes sense for them to take this over and if they need some financial support from us, we will learn that in the in the upcoming months,” he noted.

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