December 3, 2002

Homeless people in Kingston to benefit from larger, more accessible facilities

KINGSTON, ONTARIO-The Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless, in Kingston, will soon be more accessible and able to offer additional shelter space. The Honourable Peter Milliken, Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, welcomed the funding announcement of $84,625 by the Honourable Claudette Bradshaw, Minister of Labour and Federal Coordinator on Homelessness. The funding, which falls under the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) of the National Homelessness Initiative, will help the Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless to increase their number of emergency shelter beds and provide more accessible facilities for homeless people facing mobility challenges.

"The expansion of the Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless facility will greatly improve the quality of life for people who are homeless in Kingston," said Mr. Milliken. "I am pleased that the Government of Canada is lending support to this dedicated organization." 

The Government of Canada's contribution will enable the Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless to construct a one-storey addition to their current building. This addition will provide homeless individuals who face mobility challenges more accessible areas within the facility, including an accessible bedroom, bathroom, laundry room and intake office. The new space will also house two extra emergency shelter beds.

"Previously the city of Kingston had one accessible bedroom for homeless people and it was only open to female clients. We were also unable to accommodate clients who could not climb stairs because all our washrooms were located on the second floor," said 
Terri Fleming, Executive Director of the Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless. "Thanks to the Government of Canada funding, the shelter will soon have bedroom and washroom facilities that will be accessible to all of our clients, including those who are mobility challenged."

The SCPI enables communities to bring together various partners to develop local solutions to their particular homelessness needs and issues. The $305-million SCPI is a key component of the Government of Canada's $753-million National Homelessness Initiative. Through the SCPI, communities in Ontario will receive over $99 million to prevent and alleviate homelessness.

The National Homelessness Initiative is making a difference by using a community-based approach to help develop solutions that work for communities. Funding for the Initiative was provided for in the December 2001 federal Budget and is built into the existing fiscal framework.

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For more information on the Government of Canada's National Homelessness Initiative, visit our Web site at www.hrdc.gc.ca/homelessness.

For more information, contact:

Brian Groat David Klug
Government of Canada Minister Bradshaw's office 
(416) 954-7810 (819) 953-5646

Terri Fleming
Ryandale Shelter for the Homeless
(613) 548-8466