Shepherds Of Good Hope Announces Vision to Transform Shelter into Supportive Housing

Ottawa, ON – Shepherds of Good Hope (SGH) plans to transform its current emergency shelter into a health and supportive housing facility designed to better serve people experiencing chronic homelessness, while creating lasting benefits for the broader community.

The organization announced the vision publicly last night at a meeting with the Lowertown Community Association.

Shelters have always played a vital role in responding to homelessness, but they are most effective when they help people quickly access stable housing. Today, many of the individuals staying at SGH face significant barriers to housing. As a result, some remain in the shelter for years, simply because appropriate housing alternatives with the right level of supports do not yet exist.

SGH runs the largest emergency shelter in Ottawa. Located on King Edward Avenue, it serves up to 270 people (including overflow beds) on its busiest nights. On the first floor, they operate a specialty program in partnership with Ottawa Inner City Health that provides physical, mental and social health supports for people who have complex needs that cannot be met at other shelters. Here, they accept referrals from paramedics, police and other emergency and social services. In doing so, the program alleviates pressure on the healthcare system by reducing unnecessary emergency room visits.

The organization envisions building bachelor units on the second and third floors of its building. The first floor would be redesigned and purpose-built for the important medical and social services that are delivered there. It would have enhanced health supports to serve both individuals who are diverted by emergency services as well as the residents living above.

This vision would also bring benefits to the Lowertown/ByWard Market area, which has a high concentration of homeless-serving services. SGH believes this can be meaningfully addressed through focused prevention initiatives, such as shelter diversion, followed by the eventual transformation of their building.

SGH hopes to begin work in the coming year to explore what is possible through a collaborative planning process involving architects, engineers, partner agencies and people with lived experience. Together, these partners will help determine what infrastructure, services, and investments would be required to create a world-class health and supportive housing program that makes the entire community stronger.

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“We need to change how we support the most marginalized members of our community. Shepherds is committed to shifting our approach away from managing homelessness to one of prevention and permanent solutions. We are excited to embark on the planning process with building experts and partner agencies to create something that will fill a gap in Ottawa’s housing continuum.” – Stephen Bartolo, CEO, Shepherds of Good Hope

“This project represents a fundamental shift in how we respond to homelessness in Ottawa. Working with great community partners like Shepherds, we’re focusing on permanent housing solutions that will bring people out of homelessness and create the stability they need to rebuild their lives. Expanding supportive housing continues to be one of our top priorities as we work toward ending homelessness.” – Mayor Mark Sutcliffe

“Shepherds of Good Hope has always evolved to meet the needs of our community. The Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa is thrilled to support this important step forward of reimagining a site that has long served as emergency shelter space into housing that will provide people with the dignity, stability, and opportunity they deserve. This project reflects our sector’s commitment to helping people move beyond homelessness and into homes.” – Kaite Burkholder Harris, Executive Director, Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa

“For generations, this site has been associated with crisis and emergency response. Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a new chapter for Lowertown, one focused on housing, stability, and long-term solutions. I am proud that our community and Shepherds of Good Hope are leading the way in demonstrating that the future of homelessness response must include more housing and fewer barriers to getting people home.” – Councillor Stéphanie Plante, Rideau-Vanier Ward