THUNDER BAY, ON, March 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of the Ontario

Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is appealing to the government to save an emergency
shelter in Thunder Bay from being forced to cut its Street Outreach Service (SOS) program.

Effective April 1, 2017, the shelter will be suspending the SOS program due to a $200,000 shortfall
in funding. The program is a mobile service that helps people who lack housing, are publicly
intoxicated, or are living in encampments, providing them with food, shelter, transportation, and
addictions counseling.

"Shelter House provides a crucial service for the community," said Thomas. "This shelter helps get
people off the streets, and it has reduced pressures on local EMS and police services. The entire
community benefits from this shelter.

"I saw this first hand when I visited Shelter House about six years ago," he continued. "I walked the
halls; I saw people being helped in the ways they needed it. Services like the ones provided by SOS
help people before they reach a crisis point and need more acute care."

The cuts mean a number of layoffs, but Thomas recognizes how hard it is for everyone. "It's clear
everyone is upset over this. We need the municipal and provincial governments to step in and
provide the necessary funding to maintain the SOS services."

Shelter House of Thunder Bay provided shelter to 928 individuals for a total of 20,352 bed stays in
2016. The SOS program provided 4,923 transports, and gave out 21,696 amenities such as
blankets, coats, food, and water to homeless people in need.

OPSEU represents approximately 60 members at Shelter House in Local 738. Members provide
outreach, transportation, addictions support and counselling, and residence support to people
in Thunder Bay.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)