It's the end of the 'warming bus initiative' in Windsor.
The temporary service was launched on February 23, lasting for 55 days, providing 440 hours and supporting over 1,800 individuals.
Speaking on AM800's The Morning Drive, Commissioner of Human and Health Services Andrew Daher says it was a remarkable service and described it as an innovative and unique initiative that provided an alternative for people experiencing homelessness.
The 'warming bus initiative' was a partnership between the city, Transit Windsor and the Downtown Mission.
The program saw a Transit Windsor bus run on a predetermined route starting and ending at the Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4) on Wyandotte Street East, targeting core areas of the city, as well as stopping at emergency shelters and other drop-in programs with extended hours.
Daher says it was the first time the service was offered.
"Our team put their brains together and came up with this really cool idea and I think there was one other municipality here in the province, I think it was in Hamilton that did a similar idea and it's just been such a huge success," says Daher.
He says numbers were tracked daily and says there was a lot of positive feedback from many of the participates and staff.
"After 55 days we supported almost 1800 rides in total of which there was probably well over 300 or so unique riders that were using the service and I can tell you, it's just been a remarkable story," says Daher.
Daher says a 17-year-old came on the bus just before March Break and the team engaged with him right away.
"They found out through those conversations that he was homeless for about five days and so they quickly went to action, literally the next day he was connected to Windsor Residence for Young Men and was immediately housed within 24-hours," says Daher. "So these are the success stories that we need to continue to talk about in our community."
The initiative was funded through one-time dollars received in January through Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy.
Daher says even though the initiative was a great success, it's not really a sustainable on the municipal tax base, given the cost of the program.
He says more details of the initiative will be shared in June at the Community Services Standing Committee meeting.