Region of Waterloo set to open new overnight warming centre in Cambridge

A new space will provide shelter for 30 women in Cambridge. CTV’s Jeff Pickel explains.

The Region of Waterloo is getting ready to open a new overnight warming centre in Cambridge.

Starting Nov. 1, the YWCA Cambridge will offer spaces for 20 women and gender-diverse people at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

The region also has three other warming centres:

• Porchlight in Cambridge has space for 30 men, with the ability to expand.
• Threshold in Kitchener provides shelter for 30 men, with the ability to expand.
• St. John’s Kitchen in Kitchener opened its doors in January to meet growing demand locally, and can accommodate 100 men and women overnight.

The YWCA, which also operates the only women’s emergency shelter in Cambridge, said demand is outpacing supply.

“We were able to open the temporary women’s emergency shelter in February of 2025, so we’ve been open for just over a year in that space,” said Kim Decker, the CEO of YWCA Cambridge. “During that time, we’ve had about 300 requests for service that we’ve not been able to fill.”

Last winter, Porchlight and Threshold regularly housed more than 50 people a night.

Regional buildings at 99 Regina St., 150 Frederick St. and 150 Main St. will also serve as warming spaces again this winter.

With those, the Region of Waterloo operates a total of nine year-round emergency shelters.