The Ontario government has nixed a plan by Niagara Region to lease a property at 154 Bunting Road in St. Catharines for a homeless shelter.
The land is owned by the Ministry of Transportation, so the ultimate decision as to whether to grant the request was up to the province.
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff released a statement regarding the province’s decision, while Premier Doug Ford called some local residents and proponents of the shelter personally to inform them of the province’s verdict.
“I have heard the concerns raised by residents regarding the proposed use of Ministry of Transportation lands at 154 Bunting Road in St. Catharines for a municipal shelter,” said Oosterhoff. “Those concerns have been taken seriously.”
“The request to lease these provincially owned lands was made by the Region of Niagara in 2023, after which the Ministry of Transportation entered into these discussions regarding a potential lease,” Oosterhoff added.
“In response to concerns raised by the community, the Ministry has terminated all lease negotiations, and the proposed lease will not proceed to accommodate the Region’s shelter project.”
Those living near the property on Bunting Road had contacted the province with their concerns. Local councillors had expressed concerns as well, particularly given that the proposed site was to be located across from a public park.
There were also concerns expressed by residents and local politicians that the proposed site would be located right next to the Garden City Skyway, which is expected to be twinned over the next several years.
Most members of St. Catharines City Council, for example, had expressed concerns about the proposed site’s location as well.
It remains to be seen what steps the Region will take to try to establish new permanent shelter space in the area, as St. Catharines has had a temporary shelter site not too far away from the proposed site for a significant period of time. The Region needs to open a new shelter in the area because its lease at the existing shelter, located on Riordon Street, is set to expire.
The Region has thus far considered 190 potential new sites in St. Catharines, but none have met all the criteria the Region is looking for.
Back in July, St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe had criticized the Region for a lack of effective communication with the public in seeking a new shelter location in the city.
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
