Old Brewery Mission shelter gets an upgrade thanks to private donation

Everyone who comes through the doors of the Old Brewery Mission comes with a story.

Ashton, whose last name is omitted due to his vulnerable situation, is one of them. Earlier this year he lost his job.

“I had a job, I had a car, I had a relationship,” he told CTV News.

“After three months, my landlord evicted me from my building.”

After a few months in hostels, the 31-year-old ended up at the shelter. At the time, it was set up like a dormitory.

“There was very limited space between the beds, and it was like it was very cramped up between us,” he said.

But thanks to a private donation, the Mission has renovated all its facilities and people like Ashton got an upgrade.

They now have semi-private rooms with bunk beds and a locker for their belongings.

Each room has a door, and though it doesn’t lock, Ashton says he feels safer.

“When people see the doors, they hesitate to enter the room,” he said.

Old Brewery Mission CEO James Hughes says demands for beds has never been higher. He estimates that at least 5,000 people in the city are currently unhoused. But the shelter Ashton is staying at can only accommodate 185.

Hughes hopes that now those who opt to sleep on the streets will feel more comfortable coming to the Mission.

“They can sleep better, feel more of a sense of security, less tension with other people in the building. And in that environment, they'll be able to move on more quickly. And in that sense, we're able to help more people,” said Hughes.

But their work can only go so far, and Hughes is urging all levels of government to invest much more in housing, emergency services, and prevention.

“We're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars more than is being spent today. And I know that's a lot of money at a time when there isn't a lot of money around, but investing early, investing in this way, will result in savings down the road,” said Hughes.

In the meantime, Ashton says he's getting the support he needs.

“My counselor has been walking me through the path of my life that I went in the past and he has helped me with where I’m going right now,” he said.

A path, he hopes, to get back on his feet.