Warming bus planned to help homeless

The City of Windsor and Downtown Mission will use part of a federal funding package to start running a winter “warming bus” to keep people warm and safe when the temperature drops.

The city said the mobile warming centre, which will run the streets of Windsor over the next few months, will also act as a point of contact to connect people with other services.

“Having a staff member from the city and the Downtown Mission to engage and connect with people who are experiencing homelessness is very important,” said Andrew Daher, the city's commissioner of Human and Health Services. “We know that not every individual who is experiencing homelessness is actually using the shelter. So it provides them, first and foremost, with a warm place to stay for at least a temporary time. And the team members will connect and engage with them to ensure their health needs are being met.”

The city received $1.1 million through the federal government's Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy, which will go toward several initiatives including the warming bus.

The designated Transit Windsor bus will be available free for anyone who needs somewhere to warm up overnight when other public spaces may be closed.

The bus will run Monday to Saturday from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., excluding holidays, until mid or late April.

The route starts and ends at the Homelessness and Housing Help Hub (H4) at 400 Wyandotte St. E., stopping at shelters and hitting major routes including Glengarry, Howard, and Ouellette avenues.

Staff from both the Downtown Mission and the city's Human and Health Services will be on the bus. They will assist with engaging and connecting persons experiencing homelessness to other services and supports.