Hamilton shelters cope with COVID amid closure of isolation centre
A lack of shelter beds, the ongoing threat of COVID and the closure of an isolation centre for the city's COVID-positive homeless population has created a perfect storm for service providers in Hamilton.
And sub-zero temperatures are only exacerbating the issue.
Winter makes the lives and survival of people who are impacted by poverty and homelessness that much more difficult," said Katherine Kalinowski, chief operating officer at Good Shepherd, which is one of Hamilton's largest providers of services for vulnerable people.
Before Dec. 2, when someone experiencing homelessness came down with a case of COVID, they had access to an isolation centre run by Wesley Urban Ministries.
But now, the funds have run out," said Dr. Kerry Beal, lead physician of the Shelter Health Network. That means the centre is no longer accepting new patients.
Isolation centres were funded through COVID cash received from the province.
Hamilton's shelter system experienced a number of outbreaks throughout the pandemic. One of the largest, in early 2021 at the Salvation Army's Booth Centre, reached 60 cases. In early 2022, the shelter system was again pushed to the limit, with some Hamilton shelters halting admissions to control the spread of COVID.
I'm assuming we are going to see what's happened in the past when we hadn't been able to get people (with COVID) out (to isolation centres)," Beal said. Just more and more cases (in shelters)."
All this at a time when freezing temperatures are driving more people to seek shelter indoors.
On top of winter weather and a rising number of COVID cases, Beal said, a high activity" of other infectious diseases, such as the flu, are making the lives of homeless people much more complicated.
Kalinowski said the risk of spreading illness in congregate settings is significant," especially with high occupancy levels.
Both for the staff working in those programs and the people using those programs as a place to live or to receive the service," she added.
Michelle Baird, the city's director of housing services, said there are no plans to open another isolation centre" in the wake of the latest closure. She also said shelter residents with COVID are now isolated within shelter facilities.
Before - and through - the pandemic, Kalinowski said the number of families coping with homelessness continued to grow.
The city's dashboard for housing and homelessness reports that 1,573 people were experiencing homelessness in Hamilton as of October 2022.
According to Kalinowski, the Notre Dame Youth Shelter - the only youth shelter in Hamilton - has seen its occupancy go up very steadily" compared to the past several years. Youth face particular barriers in housing because they are not necessarily welcomed by landlords in the market," she said. They are still growing and learning how to live autonomously."
The Family Centre, which is operated by Good Shepherd and offers shelter to families, is also facing unprecedented" demand, and emergency shelters more broadly are struggling with recruitment and retention of staff.
The No. 1 turn-away is because we don't have space," Kalinowski said. Families are being placed in overflow shelters, diverted into other communities, and put in hotels through the city."
In the cold
Service providers are also concerned cold alerts aren't being implemented often enough, leaving Hamilton's homeless population vulnerable to wet and snowy conditions. A cold alert triggers access to warming centres to help keep vulnerable people warm. But snow isn't enough to spur one.
The city declares a cold alert when the temperature drops (or is expected to drop) below -15 C or if the wind chill makes it feel below -20 C.
If you've got someone living rough or even in some form of shelter, as soon as there is enough snow they are going to get cold and wet," Beal said. Despite the temperature, they need to start adding a snow component in the cold alerts."
When a cold alert is declared, the city opens a number of recreation centres as warm places" that can be accessed during business hours, while also putting an enhanced focus on the shelter network and connecting people with available beds.
Just because a cold alert has not been called ... it does not mean people outdoors ... are not at significant risk at damaging health impacts and even death ... when they don't have a place to shelter in the winter," Kalinowski said.
Baird said the city is looking into the issue with cold alerts, but there is no change at this point.
But we do know that it's challenging that the cold alert is the trigger (for accessing the warming centres)," Baird.
Data collection by two local doctors shows 10 deaths on the streets of Hamilton from December 2021 to March 2022.
How to help
Kalinowski says compassion, activism and volunteering can help begin to tackle the crisis of homelessness in Hamilton.
Looking at the stigma of how homeless people are defined with judgment and blame" is the first place people need to start looking at, said Kalinowski. People are experiencing a crisis that we can't even imagine - and surviving demonstrates a level of resilience that is admirable, as opposed to something to be denigrated."
She also believes actively seeking to educate oneself about the realities of poverty can help lead to change by then using their voice and their vote to influence public policy and public investment at all levels of government."
Until the local community decides to take some of the responsibility, Kalinowski said, despair, homelessness and poverty" will remain an unresolved issue.
For more information and volunteering opportunities go to goodshepherdcentres.ca/volunteer.
Beatriz Baleeiro is a reporter at The Spectator.bbaleeiro@torstar.ca
Need to know
The Good Shepherd155 Cannon St. E.
Accepting food donations, warm clothing - hats, gloves, scarves, thermal underwear, snow pants, jackets - in good condition and all sizes.
Emergency women's shelter378 Main St. E. (former Cathedral School)
Volunteers are needed.
Information and other volunteering opportunities: goodshepherdcentres.ca/volunteer