The Downtown Mission is keeping an emergency COVID-19 shelter open despite orders from the City of Windsor to shut it down.
Executive Director Ron Dunn says the Mission's board made the decision to open the former Central Library branch at 850 Ouellette Ave Sunday night after hearing dozens of homeless were turned away from the city's two isolation and recovery centres.
Since then, Dunn says as many as 35 people have been staying at the library each night with proper COVID-19 protocols in place.
On Tuesday afternoon, the city issued an order stating the Mission must stop using the building by end of day Wednesday, but Dunn says those sleeping there have nowhere else to go.
He says the library is only being used as a last resort.
"We're not letting people in here that have a place to go. So we are doing what's called shelter diversion. We're following all of the personal protective equipment recommendations. We're in the 35,000-square-foot main floor of the old library with 30 people. So there's plenty of room to be spread out. The implication that we somehow are in non-compliance, not true."
Dunn says staff are doing a great job as the Mission remained COVID-19 free for nearly a year.
"We avoided an outbreak for a year. My staff have done incredible things to make sure that everyone is safe. At the end of the day, look, I'm frustrated. This isn't about politics and it's not about anything, it's about people. Right now, if we weren't necessary, this place would be empty."
He says he's staying put until he gets a guarantee everyone will be taken care of.
"I don't see the need for the city to flex its muscle and try to evict us from the library. If they want us out then assure me that every single person experiencing homelessness will have a place to sleep tonight or tomorrow or the next day."
Dunn says the Mission submitted a proposal to the local health unit Tuesday afternoon to safely reopen its locations at 664 Victoria Ave and 875 Ouellette Ave, but is still waiting for a response.
Both buildings were closed last month due to a COVID-19 outbreak.