Inside the YWCA's new shelter that's part of Hamilton's expansion plans for this winter

The single beds inside the YWCA's new shelter are neatly made, the partitioned walls freshly painted and a bookshelf is lined with novels.

The Hamilton service provider has transformed what used to be a fitness centre in its facility on MacNab Street S. into a warm place to stay for 20 women and gender diverse folks this winter. 

They can stay for around three months at a time and can access a range of YWCA services from mental health support to reproductive care to harm reduction, said Chelsea Kirkby, vice president of strategic initiatives and program development.  

"The idea is to help those individuals who are living in an encampment, who are outside, to offer them space indoors," she said, while giving CBC Hamilton a tour of the shelter Wednesday just before it officially opened. 

"Once they've stabilized a bit here, they can move into more permanent housing or transitional housing." 

She expects the beds will fill fast. 

The YWCA's initiative is part of the city's expansion of Hamilton's shelter system as the cold weather sets in. It's also an attempt to reduce encampments in parks and other public spaces, as directed by Mayor Andrea Horwath last summer.

The city aims to add 192 shelter spaces, with 71 beds up and running including five at the YWCA, it said.

The remaining 15 will open up gradually in the coming days, said Kirkby. 

The plan will bring the total number of beds to 533 by the end of 2024, according to a staff report.

An outdoor shelter, at what's called the Barton-Tiffany lands, will also provide temporary housing to 80 people, including couples and those with pets.

Premier, advocates offer different approaches

Some community members, advocates and organizations have pushed back on the idea that more shelter space is the solution to encampments. 

A letter signed by over 350 people says the city has rationalized "criminalization, surveillance and enforcement" of people experiencing homelessness. 

It calls for the city to create a plan "based on an idea of Hamilton that cares about all who live here." 

Ways to do that include building more permanent social housing instead of sending people to live in the temporary shelter system, the letter said. 

The city said in a statement it's aware of the "online communication."

"While the city's goal remains prioritizing deeply affordable, permanent housing solutions, there are immediate needs that must be addressed," the statement said. "In response, the city is taking urgent action to reduce unsheltered homelessness and provide necessary emergency supports." 

Premier Doug Ford, on the other hand, plans to crack down on encampments whether or not shelters are full. The premier pledged this week his government would soon pass tougher laws to help municipalities clear sites and stop public drug use.

The people living outside the YWCA in tents for weeks were no longer there on the cold, grey Wednesday morning, ahead of the opening of the new shelter beds. A couple of security guards patrolled the strip of sidewalk along the downtown street.

Police issued eight trespass notices on Nov. 28, according to the city. The notices were "effective immediately" as the tents weren't compliant with the city's rules governing encampments. 

Outreach workers will connect former encampment residents to the new beds at places like the YWCA, said Kirkby.

The YWCA's shelter was designed to make residents feel as comfortable and safe as possible, she said. For example, partial walls separate each bedroom space, which are equipped with lockers, toiletries and a curtain in the doorway for privacy. 

There's also a communal kitchen with a fridge and coffeemaker, plus a living room area with a TV, couch and chairs, a washer and dryer and storage space to keep personal belongings.