Launched in late December 2024, the province announced the Encampment Response Initiative (ERI) fund, which supports the creation of more emergency shelter spaces and affordable housing units. At the direction of Timmins City Council, CDSB submitted a business case to create 40+ additional units in early January 2025, which was approved by the Ministry in late January 2025.
ERI funding can only be used for capital investments like buying property or units, renovations, and/or construction. Funding cannot be used to operate the proposed site, including staff costs.
What’s Happened Recently
In September, CDSB’s Board directed Administration to begin reviewing potential locations, within the City of Timmins, for the development on a one-site solution for emergency shelter services and encampments outside of residential areas. Following that direction, Administration retained the services of a local realtor to help find options and developed a ranking matrix that would be used to evaluate each property. To support this work, a team of evaluators was created, which included:
- People with Lived and Living Experience
- Indigenous Voices
- Municipal Lands/Planning Representation
- Non-Indigenous Service Provider Representation (Health, Mental Health/Addiction, Etc.)
- Emergency Services / First Responders (Fire, Police, Paramedics)
Aside from Paramedic Services, no CDSB staff provided input in the evaluation and ranking of potential location options. CDSB’s role was to compile and share the results of the site selection process to the Board for decision-making.
At a high-level, the evaluation asked for feedback on:
- Safety and Security
- Location and Accessibility
- Cultural and Social Considerations
- Environmental
- Capacity and Scalability
- Cost and Feasibility
- Community Impact (including proximity to others)
- Infrastructure
At a Special Board Meeting on Friday, December 5th, the Board passed a Resolution, after identifying two sites as suitable options, to refer both sites to the City of Timmins Council for consideration and confirmation to choose one location to serve as the location of preference.
At a Timmins City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 9th, Council passed the following resolution: “Whereas the Cochrane District Services Board has executed a transfer payment agreement with the Province of Ontario for funding under the encampment response initiative, and whereas the Cochrane District Services Board has referred sites to the City Of Timmins Council for consideration and confirmation of this purpose, be it resolved that the City of Timmins endorses the Highway 101 West site as the preferred location for the encampment response initiative.”
Next Steps
The recommendation of preferred site, along with more detailed information on the Encampment Response Initiative project will be tabled at CDSB’s December 18th, 2025, Board meeting for final Board decision. This project is contingent on approval from MMAH to use the $3.2M in capital funding.
If approved, the following timelines apply for using the ERI funding, unless amended timelines are provided by MMAH:
- 50% of the project funds must be utilized by December 31st, 2025.
- The remaining funds must be utilized by March 31st, 2025.
- Additional shelter capacity must be open by April 1st, 2026.
Timeline for the Encampment Response Initiative (ERI) – How We Got Here
- December 13th, 2024 – Province announces ERI funding opportunity.
- December 23rd, 2024 – Timmins Council passes a resolution directing the CDSB to apply for ERI funding on behalf of the City of Timmins. The application deadline is January 3rd, 2024.
- January 27th, 2025 – The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) approves $3.2M in capital funding in Timmins.
- February 19th, 2025 – City of Timmins begins community consultation on the selection of a property, owned by the City of Timmins, to serve as an Encampment Response Initiative Site. Information on the City of Timmins process can be found here.
- March 18th, 2025 – City of Timmins Council selects Pine St. S location to serve as an Encampment Response Initiative. Timmins Council identifies that the use of this property is contingent on an appropriate service plan.
- March 21st, 2025 – CDSB signs Transfer Payment Agreement with MMAH to proceed using the Pine St. S location.
- May 20th, 2025 – CDSB releases two Request for Proposals (RFP) – 1) Design, Delivery and Installation of Infrastructure and 2) Provision of Services and Supports
- June 19th, 2025 – The CDSB Board receives a report outlining the responses of the ERI RFP process. A total of four proposals were received for Design, Delivery and Infrastructure, with two not submitting required materials and no proposals were received for service delivery.
- September 18th, 2025 – CDSB Administration proposes an alternate plan for ERI funding that would look to create 86 new supportive and transitional housing beds in the Cochrane District through six different proposals. Administration was directed by the CDSB Board to submit this plan to MMAH for approval. Additionally, the Board directed Administration to identify an alternate site for emergency shelter services, away from residential areas and explore all land opportunities within the City of Timmins.
- November 20th, 2025 – The CDSB Board directs Administration for a report for the development of a one-site solution for low-barrier shelter services and an encampment designated location.
- December 5th, 2025 – At a Special Board Meeting, the CDSB Board passed a Resolution, having identified two sites as suitable options for the proposed project, to refer both sites to the City of Timmins Council for consideration and confirmation to choose one location to serve as the location of preference.
- December 9th, 2025 – Timmins Council passes a Resolution identifying the Highway 101 W site as their preferred option.
