924 Sydenham Road

Opening a New Emergency Shelter

With a goal of moving toward the wind-down and eventual closure of Adelaide Street Shelter, Council approved the acquisition of the property at 924 Sydenham Road with the intention of opening shelter services at this location by the end of 2025.

Update: Formation of Community Liaison Committee

The mandate of the Community Liaison Committee (CLC) is to provide a means of connecting near neighbours, business owners, site operators and City support teams to share information, identify concerns and challenges, determine mitigation strategies and support the successful integration of this project into the broader Sydenham Road community. Committee members are guided by the approved Terms of Reference.

Review the Terms of Reference for the Sydenham Road Emergency Shelter Community Liaison Committee.

The Terms of Reference may be adjusted following the initial meeting of the CLC, which is expected to take place in November 2025.

Applications

Applications are now open and community members are invited to apply below. Applications close October 3, 2025.

All community members may apply to join the CLC, however please keep in mind that applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Lived or living experience with homelessness
  • Proximity to the shelter, with people who live closest prioritized for participation
  • Demonstrated commitment to active and productive participation
  • Availability to attend meetings

Request for Proposal (RFP)

The Request for Proposal has been made available to service providers. Review the Request for Proposal on Biddingo.

Shelter Operations

This new shelter will have a minimum 30 bed capacity, with room for an additional 15 beds as needed, and especially in consideration of the annual increased need for shelter beds seen each winter. The shelter will offer emergency shelter services to individuals experiencing homelessness, The shelter will be fully staffed and will offer space for couples, pets and the overnight storage of personal items. Showers and limited meal services will be offered on site. In addition to shelter services, the shelter operator will work with clients to connect to individualized case management to support individuals working to transition into housing beyond emergency shelter services.

Shelter operations will be contracted out and an operator will be selected following the City’s procurement By-Law Request for Proposals (RFP) process.

The shelter operations at 924 Sydenham Road will be operated out of a modular shelter structure to be installed on the property. This approach supports a number of desired outcomes: it allows for the rapid development of new shelter options in new locations; it reduces municipal costs by avoiding costly renovations; it allows the modular component(s) of the shelter(s) to be eventually removed and deployed elsewhere in the City for similar or alternate municipal purpose, and it allows properties acquired by the City to be developed over time to other municipal uses – including the potential future development of transitional and affordable housing responsive to future needs along the housing continuum.

In the short term, the existing house on the property will remain and be utilized to support the shelter services as office or storage spaces, and/or as additional emergency housing support in the form of pre-transitional and or congregate living accommodations. These opportunities would be included as part of the RFP process and defined within the scope of services to be delivered by the future site operator.

Accessibility

The new modular emergency shelter building will be fully accessible and offer accessible space in all shared congregate areas.

Community Integration and Community Liaison Committee

The City is committed to providing ongoing updates, receiving questions, and guiding a constructive community-led engagement process to those neighbourhoods nearest to 924 Sydenham Road. The intent is to ensure clear and consistent communication with the community and raise awareness of future engagement opportunities designed to hear concerns and to collaborate on how this new shelter location can be successfully integrated into the surrounding community

Moving forward this will include near neighbour community meetings and the creation of a Community Liaison Committee. The CLC is a means of connecting near neighbours, business owners, site operators and City support teams to share information, address questions, discuss challenges and collaborate on integrating housing services into neighbourhoods and addressing community concerns.

Upcoming community meeting dates are posted on the right side of this page, under Key Dates. Questions about the new shelter can be shared using the question tool below. Staff will aggregate questions by theme and respond through the frequently asked questions section of this project page.

Meeting notes, presentations, council reports and news releases will be shared through the links and related documents section of this project page.

Opening a New Emergency Shelter

With a goal of moving toward the wind-down and eventual closure of Adelaide Street Shelter, Council approved the acquisition of the property at 924 Sydenham Road with the intention of opening shelter services at this location by the end of 2025.

Update: Formation of Community Liaison Committee

The mandate of the Community Liaison Committee (CLC) is to provide a means of connecting near neighbours, business owners, site operators and City support teams to share information, identify concerns and challenges, determine mitigation strategies and support the successful integration of this project into the broader Sydenham Road community. Committee members are guided by the approved Terms of Reference.

Review the Terms of Reference for the Sydenham Road Emergency Shelter Community Liaison Committee.

The Terms of Reference may be adjusted following the initial meeting of the CLC, which is expected to take place in November 2025.

Applications

Applications are now open and community members are invited to apply below. Applications close October 3, 2025.

All community members may apply to join the CLC, however please keep in mind that applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Lived or living experience with homelessness
  • Proximity to the shelter, with people who live closest prioritized for participation
  • Demonstrated commitment to active and productive participation
  • Availability to attend meetings

Request for Proposal (RFP)

The Request for Proposal has been made available to service providers. Review the Request for Proposal on Biddingo.

Shelter Operations

This new shelter will have a minimum 30 bed capacity, with room for an additional 15 beds as needed, and especially in consideration of the annual increased need for shelter beds seen each winter. The shelter will offer emergency shelter services to individuals experiencing homelessness, The shelter will be fully staffed and will offer space for couples, pets and the overnight storage of personal items. Showers and limited meal services will be offered on site. In addition to shelter services, the shelter operator will work with clients to connect to individualized case management to support individuals working to transition into housing beyond emergency shelter services.

Shelter operations will be contracted out and an operator will be selected following the City’s procurement By-Law Request for Proposals (RFP) process.

The shelter operations at 924 Sydenham Road will be operated out of a modular shelter structure to be installed on the property. This approach supports a number of desired outcomes: it allows for the rapid development of new shelter options in new locations; it reduces municipal costs by avoiding costly renovations; it allows the modular component(s) of the shelter(s) to be eventually removed and deployed elsewhere in the City for similar or alternate municipal purpose, and it allows properties acquired by the City to be developed over time to other municipal uses – including the potential future development of transitional and affordable housing responsive to future needs along the housing continuum.

In the short term, the existing house on the property will remain and be utilized to support the shelter services as office or storage spaces, and/or as additional emergency housing support in the form of pre-transitional and or congregate living accommodations. These opportunities would be included as part of the RFP process and defined within the scope of services to be delivered by the future site operator.

Accessibility

The new modular emergency shelter building will be fully accessible and offer accessible space in all shared congregate areas.

Community Integration and Community Liaison Committee

The City is committed to providing ongoing updates, receiving questions, and guiding a constructive community-led engagement process to those neighbourhoods nearest to 924 Sydenham Road. The intent is to ensure clear and consistent communication with the community and raise awareness of future engagement opportunities designed to hear concerns and to collaborate on how this new shelter location can be successfully integrated into the surrounding community

Moving forward this will include near neighbour community meetings and the creation of a Community Liaison Committee. The CLC is a means of connecting near neighbours, business owners, site operators and City support teams to share information, address questions, discuss challenges and collaborate on integrating housing services into neighbourhoods and addressing community concerns.

Upcoming community meeting dates are posted on the right side of this page, under Key Dates. Questions about the new shelter can be shared using the question tool below. Staff will aggregate questions by theme and respond through the frequently asked questions section of this project page.

Meeting notes, presentations, council reports and news releases will be shared through the links and related documents section of this project page.

  • Community Liaison Committee Application

    Thank you for applying to take part in the Sydenham Road Community Liaison Committee (CLC). The mandate of the Community Liaison Committee is to provide a means of connecting near neighbours, business owners, site operators and City support teams to share information, identify concerns and challenges, determine mitigation strategies and support the successful integration of this project into the broader Sydenham Road community. 

    Before applying, please review the Community Liaison Committee Terms of Reference.

    If you require an alternate format for the application form, please email ContactUs@CityofKingston.ca or call 613-546-0000.

    Applications close Oct. 3 at 4 p.m.

    Notice of Collection

    Information will be collected and used in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and other relevant privacy legislation. All comments made on this site are available to the public and may form part of public records. The City will give written notice in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to affected persons before granting a request for access to a record created through this survey if it includes personal information that the City has reason to believe might constitute an unjustified invasion of personal privacy. 

    Learn more about the City’s accountability and transparency responsibilities on our website.

    Eligibility Information

    All community members may apply to join the CLC, however please keep in mind that applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

    • Lived or living experience with homelessness
    • Proximity to the shelter, with people who live closest prioritized for participation
    • Demonstrated commitment to active and productive participation
    • Availability to attend meetings


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  • Ask a question

    Questions about the new shelter can be shared here. Staff will aggregate questions by theme and respond through the frequently asked questions section of this project page.

    Ask a question
Page last updated: 22 Sep 2025, 03:48 PM