Take a drive down the quiet streets of North Bay, Ontario, and you’ll likely notice the lovely waterfront, the rustic landscape and the overall quaintness of this northern Ontario city. But what you likely won’t notice is a visible homeless population – not because it doesn’t exist, but rather, because of the Crisis Centre North Bay.

The Crisis Centre North Bay is a 19-bed shelter tucked away on a quiet residential street. It operates on a 24 hour, 7 day-a-week basis, with clients sharing a room with one other person. The clients prepare meals, take care of daily chores and help each other as much as they help themselves. Along with community-style living, the Crisis Centre also puts a strong focus on resolving secondary issues such as addictions or mental health problems that sometimes come along with homelessness, so that clients can prepare to move into safe, affordable housing.

“When people are admitted here,” explains Kristine Woods, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre, “we spend some one-on-one time with them talking about the secondary kind of issues that they think they’re going to need to resolve before they’re able to move out.”

And then from there, action is put in motion. Resource Workers are present at the shelter 24-7 to help clients along their journey.

“For everybody that comes through, we do an assessment at the door,” says Richard Lemay, Resource Worker at the Centre. “We figure out what it is they need and how we can help them. And we follow that through.”

Sometimes it’s connecting them with addictions counselling; other times it’s directing them to an employment agency in town. And when any secondary issues are resolved, it’s then time to find them safe housing to move into.

“We’re all working towards the same goal,” explains Kristine. “For them to be back in the community, to have some privacy and some integrity, and to be independent.”

Pauline Giroux knows all too well that homelessness can happen to anyone. But luckily, she also knows firsthand just how wonderful a temporary home the Crisis Centre can be, and the great things they can accomplish for their clients.

This recent university graduate and single mom found herself in a dire situation when the apartment she was living in became infested with mould. Faced with a two-year wait list for affordable housing, Pauline did the only thing she could do to keep herself and her daughter off the streets – she knocked on the door of the Crisis Centre.

“I was scared,” she says, “because I thought I had to do everything on my own. But they were just wonderful and they helped me with everything.”
Within a matter of days, the Crisis Centre found Pauline a safe and quiet town home with very affordable rent.

“They saved my life,” she insists. “Because I didn’t know what to do, I had no where to go. And if it wasn’t for coming to the Crisis Centre, I don’t know where I would be.”

While Pauline is no longer a client of the Crisis Centre, she’s certainly a regular visitor. She says she will forever be grateful for the support they provided and the difference they made during such a difficult period in her life. And she’s reminded of that transformation every time she walks through the doors of her new home.

“It’s a beautiful place,” she exclaims. “I love it.”