City of Toronto and YWCA Toronto reopen YWCA Davenport
Today, the City of Toronto and YWCA Toronto reopened YWCA Davenport at 348 Davenport Rd. The renovated City-owned facility will continue to provide safe, pet-friendly, emergency shelter and support services including permanent housing referrals to individuals 16 years of age and older, who identify as women, transgender or gender non-binary, experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
The renovations to YWCA Davenport significantly expand the amenities and increase the space available to shelter residents. They include a commercial kitchen (enabling the shelter to prepare meals on-site), a learning kitchen, a dining area, a program room, staff offices, and additional storage space. The renovations also increase the program’s pre-pandemic maximum capacity from 51 to 73 beds by making full use of its property. The site will open with 39 beds to start, to meet physical distancing requirements under the current Shelter Standards Directive, but when physical distancing requirements are lifted, the shelter will be able to accommodate up to 73 individuals overnight.
YWCA Davenport is managed by YWCA Toronto under an operating agreement with the City to meet or exceed Toronto Shelter Standards. The City works with dedicated community partners such as YWCA Toronto to provide person-centered, outcome-focused services that help people access the emergency supports they need, find and keep stable housing, and improve their overall well-being. YWCA Davenport provides free, safe and caring shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness along with the following supports:
- Trauma-informed, knowledgeable staff who can help residents obtain relevant services and resources
- Individual and group support programs
- Resources to find safe and affordable housing
- Job search assistance
- Counselling (e.g. self-esteem, abuse, substance use, harm reduction, and mental health)
During the day, residents will receive services from case managers and housing workers tailored to their specific needs. They will also receive increased access to health services, thanks to a collaboration between the City and Ontario Health.
YWCA Toronto will continue to foster collaborative and transparent relationships with Davenport’s local community. This commitment and effort will be facilitated by the shelter’s community liaison worker and management team – and through the inclusion of community members into shelter events and celebrations.
This site is part of the approximately 7,250 spaces currently offered in Toronto’s emergency shelter system, the largest in Canada. The City ensures that vulnerable people can access emergency shelter when they need it and assistance in finding permanent housing as quickly as possible.
More information about YWCA Davenport, including images of the renovated space can be found online.
The City is committed to supporting residents experiencing homelessness and ensuring they have access to safe, indoor emergency shelter and help finding permanent housing quickly. From January to November 2021, more than 3,100 people experiencing homelessness moved from the shelter system into permanent housing.
Quotes:
“The City continues to be committed to providing shelter and housing to its most vulnerable residents, especially those who are fleeing violence, experiencing homelessness, or are in immediate need of shelter. I am pleased that the newly renovated YWCA Davenport has reopened and will continue to provide a warm, safe and caring place with critical supports for people who need them and offer access to important services including counselling and assistance with finding permanent and affordable housing.”
– Mayor John Tory
“It is gratifying to see YWCA Davenport reopen. We are fortunate to have service partners like YWCA Toronto who provide safe living spaces and a wide range of vital supports and services to people experiencing homelessness. We look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure our most vulnerable residents have access to temporary accommodation when they need it, and permanent and sustainable housing options for the long term.”
– Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City’s Economic and Community Development Committee
“Places like YWCA Davenport are critical to supporting people experiencing homelessness and helping them find permanent housing and I am delighted to welcome it back to the Davenport neighbourhood. As a City, we need to remain committed to ensuring access to safe emergency shelter space and to necessary resources and services that support the well-being and goals of our most vulnerable residents.”
– Councillor Mike Layton (University-Rosedale)
“The City’s Shelter, Support and Housing Administration will continue to work with valuable service partners like the YWCA to ensure we are responding to the need for homelessness services across Toronto. Ensuring we have high quality shelter facilities like this shelter is an important step towards supporting people who are experiencing homelessness to find permanent housing while attending to their immediate needs – personal safety, emergency shelter and basic needs – first and foremost. Thank you to YWCA Toronto for their continued partnership and support of residents and program participants.”
– Gordon Tanner, General Manager (Acting), Shelter, Support and Housing Administration
“YWCA Toronto is pleased to reopen the doors to YWCA Davenport. We are proud partners of the City as we provide emergency shelter for women and gender diverse people fleeing abuse and violence. The safety of our shelter residents continues to be top-of-mind during this pandemic, as is working with local community members to provide much-needed critical services.”
– Heather McGregor, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Toronto
