By Cathleen Gretchell
Published June 2026
This winter, The Working Centre opened an Overnight Warming Centre at the new St. John’s Kitchen, opening the doors at 8:30 pm and closing by 8:00 am. For three months, the Overnight Warming Centre provided a continuous overnight place to stay, reducing the daily search for shelter space. The open intake ensured that people could count on the space being available. At the same time, we ensured those using the space were registered as unsheltered. As we approached the closing of the warming centre, many of our community members shared their concerns and hopes.
“If we have nowhere to go with the warming centre closing, they’re going to have folk congregating/sleeping downtown… Not trying to break laws just trying to survive”
“Many of us are actually scared and not sure what we are going to do.”
“I can feel and see the energy changed after that first night outside.”
“Be great if opened year-round, cause don’t have to worry about sleeping in stairwell/damaging property, less going out and doing stupid stuff.”
A community member shared that the unhoused do not migrate far. If it rains, they are going to be tucked under business awnings and front porches. A warming centre would help mitigate this.
A year-round ‘home base’ allows individuals to unwind and organize their thoughts, which is the necessary foundation for setting goals or seeking employment.
“How do you set goals if you don’t have somewhere to lay your head down at night. How can you accept a job if you don’t know if you are going to be able to sleep.”
“There shouldn’t need to be a tent city for six f*×’ing years.”
“This place keeps people from dying. Literally watched my friends sometimes four a day be saved here. This place gives us a sense of hope.”
“Run the warming centre all year. Staff save so many people.”
“Some people have no connection their only sense of connection is this team.”
It is so “helpful to have a person at ground zero saying you’re still loved and you can still turn things around. When people call you a piece of xxxx long enough, you begin to believe it. People don’t have a chance to see me around good people who are supportive, only around the people I must be around.”
Personal Pathways: Visions for the Future
I asked our community members: “If you could change one thing in your life moving forward, what would it be and how could we support you?” Their answers reflect a deep desire for restoration and growth.
Family & Recovery: MD desires to work toward recovery with the goal of being reunited with her daughter. She noted that consistent reminders and regular routine support are vital to her success. She had this from two workers in Cambridge, but when they moved on, she did not have the same kind of support.
Recovery: T expressed a desire to get clean. Support would be “A place to go in recovery, especially to deal with dope-sickness. Followed by an apartment.” She also spoke of her experiences at the green attic and her dream of being able to design clothes and start her own company.
Support for Sobriety: Other suggestions from community members included supports for getting clean such as, shelter; help with rehab and detox; a group home for people who are trying to get clean; someone willing to pay for a person to leave town to get clean; being allowed into recovering housing ASAP (not a 3-5 days clean requirement); a detox and sober house; opportunities to volunteer and seek employment.
Life Skills & Safety: L shared the challenge of being “out here since age 11.” He envisions a safe living space that transitions from a “hard” environment (vandal-resistant), where folx can learn basic life skills and be surrounded by a supportive, non-judgmental team to a “soft” living area after a successful six months with continued supports.
Connection & Health: Some spoke of wanting onsite addiction and sexual assault supports. Others to the need for accessing co-ed housing, so couples are not forced to live apart after decades together.
The Need for Year-Round Support: A Sanctuary in All Seasons
Community members have expressed disappointment, anxiety, and fear regarding the closure. Many noted that while the cold is a primary threat in winter, the extreme heat of summer creates an urgent need for cooling centres. A community member added that in all seasons they still need to sleep.
Core Findings
1. The Centre Saves Lives: The warming centre served as a critical overdose prevention site. Staff presence, naloxone access, and peer monitoring prevented numerous fatal overdoses and reduced the risks associated with isolated substance use.
2. Closure Creates Instability: Community members expressed fear and uncertainty as the site closed. While cold weather is a winter risk, heat, rain, and chronic exhaustion create equally dangerous conditions in other seasons. The need for safe overnight rest is year-round.
3. Strong Case for Year-Round Operations: Participants emphasized the importance of a consistent ‘home base.’ Year-round services would reduce public sleeping, improve safety, stabilize individuals, and support pathways toward employment, recovery, and housing.
4. Service Gaps Increase Risk: High-risk periods were identified on overnights, weekends, Sunday mornings, and during seasonal transitions—particularly late April—when weather conditions remain harsh, but seasonal services end.
5. Clear Aspirations for Recovery and Stability: Community members articulated specific hopes including recovery, family reunification, access to detox and sober housing, employment opportunities, and housing models that allow couples to remain together.
System-Level Impact
The warming centre contributed to improved public safety and system efficiency by reducing emergency interventions, mitigating property impacts, and offering a coordinated point of contact for health and social services.
Conclusion
The Overnight Warming Centre demonstrates that low-barrier, dignity-centred overnight services protect life and strengthen community well-being. Seasonal operations save lives; year-round operations have the potential to substantially amplify these outcomes while reducing strain on emergency and municipal systems.
