Peterborough City Council has approved funding for a six-month winter shelter program aimed at providing additional support for people experiencing homelessness during the coldest months of the year.
Council endorsed pre-committing the funds necessary to implement a Winter Shelter Response Plan that would operate from November through April and provide at least 30 additional overnight shelter beds. The former fire station on Carnegie Avenue is the proposed location for the program.
The decision comes as the city continues to face growing pressure on its homelessness system. Peterborough currently has 127 shelter spaces available through four emergency shelters and an overnight drop-in program, but demand continues to outpace capacity, particularly during winter when health and safety risks for people living outdoors increase significantly.
According to city staff, at least 932 individuals experienced homelessness in Peterborough in 2025, including people living unsheltered, staying in shelters or couch surfing while connected to support services. That represents a 16 per cent increase from the 803 people recorded in 2024.
Shelter utilization data from the 2025-26 winter season showed emergency shelters were consistently operating at or above capacity, leaving limited ability to accommodate additional people during periods of high demand.
Last winter, the city implemented an emergency, temperature-based shelter response that temporarily expanded bed availability during extreme cold weather. While staff said the initiative demonstrated the community’s ability to respond quickly, it also revealed significant operational and staffing challenges and did not provide consistent shelter access throughout all periods of severe weather.
City staff recommended a planned seasonal shelter model as a more reliable and sustainable solution.
Two options were presented to council, both based at the Carnegie Avenue facility and operating for 11 hours each night. The first would have run for three months from January through March at an annual cost of approximately $303,050. The second, which council approved funding for, would operate for six months from November through April at an annual cost of approximately $576,600, in addition to a one-time startup cost of $20,000.
Staff noted that while the seasonal shelter would help address immediate winter needs, long-term solutions to homelessness remain necessary.
The approved program is intended to provide stability and predictability for both shelter operators and clients during the period of highest risk, while reducing the need for emergency responses triggered by extreme weather events. Council’s decision allows staff to move forward with planning and implementation ahead of the next winter season.
