During the General Committee meeting on the evening of March 11th, Homelessness and Data Program Manager, Jocelyn Blazey, along with the Modular Community Project Manager, Jessica Penner, offered a six month update on the Modular Bridge Housing units which opened in November of last year. The units, which are operated by Elizabeth Fry Society, consist of 50 individual units and 24/7 on-site security and support staff in addition to an indoor community space at 210 Wolfe Street. The units were manufactured by NOW Housing in Ontario.

According to the report shared with council, the units saw a 98% success move-in rate during the initial occupancy with 49 of the 50 selected candidates accepting the offer. Blazey shared that Peterborough’s success rate is much higher than the average rate of 40%-60% as reported in similar projects. Blazey and Penner also stated that there had been minimal interruptions throughout the first ten weeks of operation, with only four emergency service calls reported, which is a 90% reduction in service calls in comparison to the 38 service emergency calls to the encampment last year.

“In the modular community, people who moved into the community quickly adapted to their new homes, showcasing positive mental and physical improvements within days,” the report states.

In regards to the stabilization of individuals shared in the report, Penner shared that there are already four residents who have found jobs, alongside several residents talking about moving into permanent housing, and several who have gone to addictions treatment. 

All of these instances have created “several new connections with service providers across our community,” stated Penner. 

Before the installation of the modular housing units, many residents living in the surrounding area of the Wolfe Street encampment were vocal during council meetings about their frustrations with the state of the encampment and lack of city support. In the report presented to council, the neighbourhood impact according to the Neighbourhood Liaison Committee states that during the operation of the units, there has been “observable positive change in the Wolfe Street neighbourhood,” citing the area as feeling “tidier, quieter, and safer.” 

Co-Chair of Housing and Homelessness, Councillor Keith Riel, added to this point during open discussion to share that he has been asked by residents close to the units to “please take the fence [which surrounds the units] down,” demonstrating the overall success of this project for multiple parties. 

The next steps according to the report are to continue to monitor and evaluate the results of the project in order to “build on early successes, connect and learn with similar communities; and build a plan for after the 2-year term of this project” which ends on November 30th, 2025. 

Evaluation will include both formative and summative assessments in identifying improvement areas to ensure the project maximizes its success. In addition, next steps aiming to offer a better understanding in closing the gaps of the homelessness system will be evaluated. 

Quality improvement is also a next step in the project which utilizes the collaborative efforts between City Staff and Elizabeth Fry Society to identify areas for improvement based off of the continuous evaluation of both the individuals living in the units, and the surrounding community.

Knowledge exchange is a major part of the success of projects like the one seen in Peterborough, and the report states that part of the success of these units relies on “fostering collaborative learning and expanding the impact in Peterborough. As more communities are adopting similar projects to meet immediate needs of people who are unsheltered”. 

Finally, post-project planning is required to ensure long-term sustainability of these results after the 2025 end date. 

During their presentation, Penner and Blazey were clear that like all projects, there are risk factors involved, citing the lack of appropriate exit options in Peterborough as a major concern for the success of the project. The limited availability for other housing programs and accessible supportive housing options “may present challenges in meeting the continuous needs of program participants to move out of the Modular Program and into more permanent housing,” the report states.

Additionally, a risk factor lies in the uncertainty that two years is enough time to properly support individuals who have faced long-term chronic homelessness while also ensuring their long-term success.

“Recognizing the complexity of individuals who are on the site, and whether the two years is enough for us to be able to determine what they need in terms of supports, and what we need in terms of a system,” said Blazey.

During discussion, councillors offered their immense gratitude for the hard work of Blazey, Penner, and City Staff in their dedication to combating homelessness in Peterborough.

“I think I can see your capes waving in the breeze, you have been such tremendous leaders,” said Councillor Joy Lachica. “It is a victory to be at this point.” 

Councillor Leslie Parnell then asked “what's the deal” with the community space at 210 Wolfe Street not being open yet, and whether or not service workers are working on site and if council has to spend more money.

Community Services Commissioner Sheldon Laidman responded that all the renovations have been completed on time. However, he also noted that “it’s become complicated just because of wanting to ensure the proper occupancy of the building.” 

Laidman also shared that Elizabeth Fry Society takes responsibility of the whole site, and it will be occupied shortly.

Councillor Keith Riel also shared his gratitude for the hard work that has gone into this project, stating that it is a “Canadian wide and province wide issue that is not going away,” and echoed his thanks to the support staff and doctors on site at the units. 

Additionally, Riel spoke on the cost of this project, which has been a major concern throughout the initial stages of this process. 

“I wasn't going to raise the issue of costs, but we’re building an apartment building for $20 million. Look at what we spent on this, it pales in comparison. We need more of that, and we need the support of both the provincial and federal governments to help us out to do some more of this,” he said. 

The Province of Ontario’s Homelessness Prevention Program provided $2.5 million dollars to the development of the project. The total construction cost of the modular bridge housing units was $2,4477,778, with an expected operating cost of $1,959,003. In addition, individuals living on site do pay rent to Finally a Home who is the landlord of the units, which helps offset the operational costs. 

“We have housed these people with the success story you’ve just heard—four people have found full-time employment, several people have committed themselves going to treatment to change their lives. These are successes and I don’t know how you can measure them. I can see great things happening as we move forward,” said Riel, who reminded council of past failed attempts to support unhoused individuals without proper support. 

“We've gone through this route and put people in apartments that don't have proper services. They're back on the street. The cycle begins again. We're trying to stop the cycle,” he said.

Mayor Jeff Leal also extended his gratitude to everyone involved in this project, stating that this has been “the most difficult” public policy he has faced during office. Leal stated that Peterborough has been a leading case in combating homelessness, and that he has received multiple calls from other mayors looking to address this problem in their own city. 

Councillor Matt Crowley then asked Commissioner Laidman about the possibility of asking the Provincial government to extend the funding through 2026, citing the potential loss of funding as a major risk to the success of this project. 

Laidman said that the possibility of an extension is not known currently, but through meetings with provincial representatives that “it is very well known that this needs to continue.” 

Laidman also noted that all 47 service managers across Ontario who received the funding will also be looking to extend it, stating that an extension would “make a significant difference for the City of Peterborough.” 

In a conversation after the meeting with Councillor and Co-Chair of Housing and Homelessness Alex Bierk shared that the success of the project is about the support attached to the shelter and importantly, “meeting people where they’re at.”

Bierk also echoed the incredible success in the reduction of emergency calls to the site, and stated that the change in public perception and opinion on homelessness “really, really validates the work that has been done.”

“On a personal level, it's just been really rewarding to work with Keith on this and to have the support of the mayor and the funding coming from MPP Smith was really great. It allowed us to do the work. You know, Jeff Leal would get on the phone with us so many times over the summer to just help push this through and of course council supported it, but it's also been an incredibly rewarding experience to work alongside staff with this,” he said.

The presentation was received for information by every councillor apart from Dave Haacke who was absent and notably the only council member who voted against an amended modular housing plan in May of 2023.

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Editor's Note: This article has been updated on March 15th to reflect the fact that the modular housing units were manufactured by NOW Housing.