Harm reduction service in Sudbury, Ont., shuts its doors, leaving vulnerable clients with 'no place to go'

An organization that offered services for vulnerable youth in Sudbury, Ont., closed its doors for the final time on Monday.

The Sudbury Action Centre for Youth (SACY) became insolvent and no longer had the funds to pay its staff.

"Not having this service here is devastating for these persons," said Rita OLink, who sat on SACY's board of directors until it shuttered its doors.

"The tragedy begins tomorrow morning. They will have no place to go. They will have no resources."

SACY offered a number of services, including a small food bank, harm reduction programs and a low-barrier drop-in shelter for youth.

"So as of tonight, they have to sleep out on the street somewhere," OLink told CBC News on Monday morning as staff packed items into boxes.

"This is just awful and we feel awful about it."

OLink said most of the organization's funding came from the City of Greater Sudbury, but that could no longer keep up with their costs.

She said it's an issue all non-profit organizations face.

"There's not more dollars out there. It's just that simple," OLink said. "Everything has been cut to the bone and when you cut too far this is what happens."

Sudbury MPP Jamie West said he was shocked by the news of SACY's closure.

The organization first announced it would be shuttering its doors on April 1, but in an update last week, that timeline was moved ahead.

"Although we were hopeful we could continue delivering services until March 31st, we unfortunately are insolvent and must close our doors by Monday March 18, 2024," SACY's board said in a statement.

West said he remains hopeful other harm reduction organizations in Sudbury can take over some of the services SACY offered.

"But with the limited amount of funding that's coming through the city or the province, at the end of the day, it comes down to dollars and cents," West added.

"And we have to show that we value every community member in our city, because it's not just them specifically, it's the family and friends as well who are impacted by this."

West said meetings with the city and different stakeholder organizations have already started to continue offering those services and jobs to SACY staff members who are now unemployed.

On Monday night, the City of Greater Sudbury announced it has entered into a short-term agreement with New Hope Outreach Inc. to operate an overnight warming centre for up to 10 young people between the ages of 16 to 24.

The city said the centre will be located upstairs at the Samaritan Centre on Elgin Street. It will be open seven days a week from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. until the end of April.