The Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto is excited to announce in partnership with the City of Toronto and TSSS the development of the first Indigenous Women’s Emergency Shelter in Toronto. Set to open in 2028, this intentional initiative aims to provide a safe, welcoming, and culturally relevant environment for those seeking temporary space to call home. Our shelter will offer comprehensive services, including emergency accommodation, counseling, and wellness programs, all rooted in Indigenous cultural practices and community engagement.

The project seeks to empower women through collaboration with the resource centre to support, education, skill-building, and connections to community resources, fostering resilience and independence. By providing a supportive network, we aim to break the cycle of poverty and violence, enabling women to build brighter futures for themselves and their families. Together, we will create a model of care and a space that prioritizes the dignity and strength of Indigenous women.

Community consultations have taken place and ongoing work continues. Click here for the Shelter Brochure.

Stay tuned for updates on our progress as we work toward opening the doors to our shelter. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of Indigenous women and children in our community.

Location: 68 Sheppard Ave. W.
Demographic: Indigenous women and children
Anticipated capacity: Approximately 80 people
Estimated opening date: 2028-2030
Service Operator: Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto

The City of Toronto has secured 68 Sheppard Ave. W. to help Indigenous women and children experiencing homelessness move toward permanent housing. It will be the first municipal shelter of its kind to offer these critical services.

The shelter is part of the City’s Council-approved Homelessness Services Capital Infrastructure Strategy, which aims to open up to 20 new shelters citywide by 2033. These sites will help respond to demand and stabilize the shelter system. Learn more about the Strategy and how shelters make a difference in people’s lives.

The City is committed to working with the local community to support the success of the site and has hired Community Engagement Facilitator Mihevc Consulting and Mediation to lead engagement. More information, including a Bulletin with answers to frequently asked questions, can be found in the Working with the Community tab below.

Indigenous people continue to be overrepresented among individuals experiencing homelessness, especially outdoors. According to the 2024 Street Needs Assessment, a point-in-time count and survey of people experiencing homelessness, Indigenous people represent 3% of Toronto’s population – yet account for 9% of people experiencing homelessness. Of those staying outdoors, 31% of people identified as Indigenous.

The shelter at 68 Sheppard Ave. W. will be the first municipal shelter to provide spaces and services to support Indigenous women and children experiencing homelessness.

Parking lot use

In 2023, the Toronto Parking Authority reviewed its assets to determine which ones were surplus to operational needs. Through this exercise, it was determined that the parking lot at 68 Sheppard Ave. W. was no longer required. CreateTO, an agency that manages City’s real estate holdings, then conducted a thorough evaluation and determined that the lot would be best used as a shelter location.

Site criteria and authority

City Council has delegated authority to staff to approve and develop new locations for shelters and 24-hour respite sites. This is to ensure the City can work quickly to respond to shelter system pressures and provide critical supports to as many people as possible. It also helps to accelerate and depoliticize the shelter development process, which is consistent with a human-rights based approach to housing and related services for vulnerable residents.

Shelters are typically located in residential areas, close to libraries, schools, community centres and health care services.

There are a limited number of available areas in Toronto that meet the size, budget and zoning requirements needed to be a municipal shelter. At the time of selection, staff assessed more than 100 sites across Toronto to determine if they met the City’s criteria for shelter use.

The shelter at 68 Sheppard Ave. W. will be purpose-built and thoughtfully designed, following best practices outlined in the Shelter Design and Technical Guidelines . The site will be smaller, to be more responsive to the needs of people staying there, and designed to be welcoming, inclusive, accessible and pet-friendly.

Learn more about shelter design and see photos of recently built shelters following these best practices.

At its meeting in July 2025, City Council approved a Zoning By-law Amendment to accommodate the proposed built form. View the application details.

The shelter at 68 Sheppard Ave. W. will serve approximately 80 women and children. It will be the City’s first municipal shelter for Indigenous women experiencing homelessness, helping them to improve their well-being and find and keep stable housing as quickly as possible.

Services to be Offered

Once operational, the program will be staffed 24 hours a day and will provide all meals and laundry, on-site medical care, and specialized cultural programming for Indigenous women and their children. Case managers will work with women so that they can build housing plans. The program will also provide important wrap-around services, such as income supports, employment and education training, and referrals to other community services. All of this will be offered through a cultural lens, rooted in healing and elevating Indigenous women.

Referrals to the program will be made through the City’s telephone-based Central Intake service.

The City is committed to working with the community to support the success of the site.

The City has hired Community Engagement Facilitator Mihevc Consulting and Mediation to lead the community engagement process. This includes providing ongoing shelter updates, responding to questions and working collaboratively with the City and local community members to collectively problem-solve concerns that may arise.

Community Meetings

A Community Information Session was held on December 17, 2024. Answers to questions asked at the session, along with questions received via email, can be found in this Community Bulletin.

A Community Drop-in and Information Session was also held on July 8, 2025 for residents to learn more about the program, ask questions, and meet staff who will be running the site. Read a summary that includes key points covered by each speaker, discussion themes, and answers to questions from the Information Session.

Residents who have further questions, can email 68sheppard@gmail.com.