Windsor’s emergency shelter system nearing capacity [Video]

Described as a “bubble on the edge of bursting,” Windsor’s emergency shelters are approaching maximum capacity much earlier than expected this year.

Shelter capacity across the system is between 96 and 98 per cent, according to Windsor’s housing and homelessness manager, Kelly Goz.

While shelters have dealt with overcrowding before, Goz said the early onset of the crisis in 2024 is alarming.

“That’s very different than what we have seen historically for summer months,” Goz said.

“Typically, we don’t see this type of capacity until it gets cold, unless it’s raining, or the climate isn’t conducive for folks remaining outdoors.”

The numbers were presented during a meeting of Windsor’s Community Services Standing Committee, along with a report showing a rise in emergency shelter usage during the first eight months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

“[They] give me a really good snapshot of a bubble that, in …