Expanded support for individuals experiencing homelessness locally.
The County of Essex is expanding their overnight services at the Essex County Homelessness Hub (ECH2) located on Talbot Street East in Leamington.
Starting on July 21, the ECH2 - which is operated by Family Services Windsor-Essex (FSWE) - will offer a safe place for people to attend every night from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., seven days a week.
This expanded service will run through to March 2026 to provide safety, stability, and access to supports for County residents experiencing homelessness.
This initiative builds on the previous warming centre model, which offered a similar service starting in December 2024 and ended in March 2025.
Ciara Holmes, Acting Executive Director at FSWE, says it's not just the cold months where people are struggling.
"There's a need beyond those months for shelter rest area stations for people experiencing homelessness in the county. So it's a critical step in the expansion of services because what it does is it allows us to provide a broader continuum of care beyond just those daytime hours."
She says services will also be provided to those visiting overnight.
"We're not only offering a place to rest, but we're offering a place for people to feel safe while they need to rest, where they're going to be supported and being connected to long-term solutions and supports in specifically addressing their housing instability. Also looking at other additional services such as mental health or primary care needs."
Holmes says there are a lack of services available to those experiencing homelessness in rural areas.
"Cities often have a range of emergency shelters, and food banks, mental health supports, public transportation options, where in rural areas we know that services are fewer - but that doesn't mean that the need isn't there. Visibility is often one of the other issues, urban centres it's much more visible like we see here in the city, where in rural areas it can be more hidden."
Holmes adds that housing staff will also be available during the overnight hours to assist those experiencing homelessness.
From December 2024 through the end of March 2025, the ECH2 overnight service recorded 918 visits. During the same period, daytime services at the ECH2 supported 245 unique individuals and logged 4,715 visits.
The ECH2 will continue to operate daytime hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week, offering a range of wraparound supports including housing navigation, replacing identification, assistance accessing income support programs, harm reduction resources, eviction prevention, and access to food, clothing, and hygiene items.
-with files from AM800's Live and Local with Kyle Horner