Region and community partners set to open temporary shelter

Waterloo Region – The Region of Waterloo and its community partners are taking action to protect the most vulnerable from COVID-19 and to ensure they have a safe place to stay 24/7.

As part of the Community Support Control Group’s pandemic response, the A.R. Kaufman YMCA in Kitchener is being modified to serve as a temporary emergency shelter. The shelter will provide access to amenities, including showers.

When the shelter opens this week, it will initially accommodate people who are now accessing the St. Mark’s overflow space.

The facility will also have capacity to serve overflow from other shelters once additional staffing is in place.

Further work is underway as a next phase to try to expand this location into a daytime drop in space.

People accessing the YMCA shelter will be regularly screened for COVID-19. If they show symptoms, they will be transported to an isolation space that is fully staffed.

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For media interviews, please contact:

Sherry Morley, Communications Coordinator, Community Services, Region of Waterloo, smorley@regionofwaterloo.ca,