Toronto hospital opening permanent supportive housing apartments for homeless [Video]

A new housing project for those who live on the streets and frequently end up in the emergency room is set to welcome its first residents in Toronto this month, supported by one of the largest hospital networks in Canada.

The University Health Network has partnered with Fred Victor, a non-profit housing organization, to provide 51 permanent homes with health and social supports to homeless people who use its hospitals the most. The hope is that the project will ease pressures on hospitals while also providing stable care for vulnerable individuals.

“What we’re trying to build is this continuum of care out from the hospital where people can be discharged to a safe and stable setting that is their home,” Dr. Andrew Boozary, the executive director of the Gattuso Centre for Social Medicine at UHN, said in an interview.

“The treatment for the homelessness crisis is housing and, beyond housing, there needs to be …