A key support centre for people experiencing homelessness in Ajax will close on June 26, as new regional data shows Durham's homeless population has climbed 77 per cent in just eight months.

The Ajax HUB, a low-barrier drop-in centre offering meals, hot showers and connections to housing and health care, will shut its doors this month after operating since 2022 under CFOC-Doors of Compassion (DOC), a non-profit arm of the Christian Family Outreach Centre.

According to a Yahoo News report, the organization's officials called the decision "heartbreaking" but necessary, saying resources must shift toward programs that move people out of homelessness for good.

We do believe that this is the way forward, to support people to exit homelessness.

Caitlin Rae, strategic communications and development officer at DOC, told Yahoo News the closure was a collective decision involving the organization, Durham Region and the Town of Ajax. She said the region will direct people with more intense needs to the province's two Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs in Durham, which offer wraparound health and social supports.

Record numbers on regional list

Durham's by-name list — a monthly count of individuals known to be homeless in the region — now sits at 1,778, its highest level on record. The list passed the 1,000 mark for the first time last summer.

Sahar Foroutani, Durham Region's manager of income, employment and homeless support, described the surge as a "perfect storm" driven by a widening gap between income and the cost of living.

Many residents right now that are on fixed or low income. They simply can't keep up.

Foroutani said the HUB model can no longer meet the complex needs of its clients, many of whom require more immediate mental health and addiction support.

Unfortunately, the HUB structure isn't built to support that.

The centre served 922 people last year alone.

Transition plans underway

Rae said the transition will be difficult for current users, but DOC is "well on its way" to finding alternatives. The organization is working to identify housing placements for roughly 20 individuals and expects to secure those spots before the June 26 closure.

We need to redirect resources to housing-focused programs that are going to end up with housing outcomes.

Remaining funding for the Ajax HUB will be redirected toward housing initiatives as the region pushes to build more affordable and transitional homes. DOC will continue to operate its emergency overnight shelter after the HUB closes.

What Ajax residents can expect

According to a statement from the Town of Ajax, people facing homelessness will still be able to use showers and public washrooms at town community centres during operating hours. Those facilities will also serve as warming and cooling centres during extreme weather.

The closure comes amid growing investment in affordable housing across the region. Last week, the provincial and federal governments announced more than $41 million for two affordable housing projects in Oshawa, which are expected to bring 120 new affordable units to that city. One project is expected to finish construction in December, while the other was completed last September.

Foroutani said solving the crisis will require continued cooperation across all levels of government.