Construction wraps up on supportive housing facility in Barrie

Supportive housing facility to open in Barrie A new 14-unit supportive housing facility in Barrie will welcome tenants within two weeks, the County says.

Residents will move into a new 14-unit supportive housing facility in Barrie in the coming weeks now that construction has wrapped up.

"Everybody that's coming in here has been prioritized as needing on-site supportive housing," said Mina Fayez-Bahgat, the County's general manager, Social and Community Services.

The County of Simcoe and local shelters teamed up to operate the facility at the corner of Tiffin and Innisfil streets.

"Through our partnership with the Elizabeth Fry Centre and the Busby Centre, we will have on-site 24-hour different levels of care and services. Those will consist of developing life skills, addressing and connecting referrals for health services as well as financial education and stability," said Fayez-Bahgat.

Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall commended the partnership between the provincial government, the County and the City of Barrie.

"Being able to work together to ensure 14 more people will have an opportunity and a path to success in life, I think, is just an incredible thing and an investment in the community, but more than anything, it's an investment in these lives," said Nuttall.

COUNTY SURPASSES 10-YEAR HOUSING TARGETS

The County of Simcoe celebrated surpassing its 10-year affordable housing and homelessness prevention strategy one year ahead of schedule.

"The fact that we overshot our numbers of 2,685 units and it didn't take us 10 years, we did it in nine," said Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke. "When we started back in 2014, we only had 32 units, so it did seem like a daunting task. So, 2,775 units is just outstanding."

Officials said they would now begin planning for the next 10-year strategy.