Thursday, February 12, 2026
The County of Simcoe, in partnership with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH), has launched an innovative 40-unit Bridge Housing project in Barrieo house people experiencing unsheltered homelessness who have complex needs, facing multiple and often overlapping barriers to permanent housing.
“Communities across Canada are facing surging homelessness, especially unsheltered homelessness,” said Tim Richter, president and CEO of CAEH. “Simcoe County and the City of Barrie have been tackling this issue head on, which makes this the perfect place to test a promising new rapid response to unsheltered homelessness that we hope to see scaled across the country.”
Bridge Housing is a short-term, service-intensive model providing a safe, stable place for people to regroup and recover, receive health care, connect with addictions and mental health supports, and ultimately move into their permanent home. Participants receive focused, individualized support to resolve the practical issues preventing them from securing housing—whether that’s getting a birth certificate, applying for income assistance, or connecting with health services.
“We are proud to launch the Bridge to Stability program that will help ensure that no one seeking a safe, warm place to stay is left out in the cold,” said County of Simcoe Warden Basil Clarke. “This is one of our many innovative investments in Barrie and throughout Simcoe County aimed at addressing homelessness and housing shortages. We thank the Government of Canada and our partners at the CAEH for working with us to build up our communities.”
The Bridge to Stability – A County of Simcoe Bridge Housing Program for Unsheltered Homelessness project is receiving nearly $1.7 million over the next year from the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund (HRIF) – a $45-million-dollar federal initiative led by the CAEH to fund innovative projects that rapidly and measurably reduce homelessness in communities across the country.
“Everyone deserves a safe and stable place to call home. Through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund, our government is supporting innovative, community driven solutions that help make that a reality,” said Jennifer McKelvie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing & Infrastructure. “The Bridge to Stability project will have a significant impact on reducing unsheltered homelessness in Simcoe County and represents an important step forward in ensuring people can access the housing and supports they need.”
Unsheltered homelessness has increased by 300% nationwide over the last six years, according to the 2024 Point-in-Time Count. Much like the rest of the country, Simcoe County has seen a considerable increase in the number of people staying in encampments, sleeping in tents and other makeshift shelters.
The aim of the Bridge to Stability project is to reduce unsheltered homelessness across Simcoe County, with a goal of moving its first cohort of people into permanent housing within one year.
The County of Simcoe project will pilot a Bridge Housing model, a solution that all parties hope to see scaled across the country. CAEH is providing one-on-one coaching and support to the County to adjust systems, collect data and track progress.
“Through our 10-point Homelessness Prevention Strategy, we are deeply committed to finding new and innovative ways to prevent and reduce homelessness. The much-needed Bridge to Stability initiative complements this strategy by lifting people with the most acute needs, sleeping outdoors and in encampments, into housing,” said Warden Clarke.
“This project is an all-hands-on-deck, community-wide response to a crisis that can and will be solved. Simcoe County is paving the path for other communities to follow, offering a rapid, dignified, housing-focused approach that will measurably reduce unsheltered homelessness,” added Richter.
Featured image: (L to R) Alex Nuttall, Mayor of Barrie; Tim Richter, CAEH CEO; Jennifer-McKelvie, MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing & Infrastructure; and Basil-Clarke, County of Simcoe Warden. (CAEH)
