Mobile trailer as county warming room gets committee approval, off to full council next

By Dan Jones LJI
Northumberland 89.7 FM

Patience appears to be running thin among Northumberland County mayors to provide temporary respite for unhoused people during the winter months, as many leaders are looking for a long-term solution.

County Council’s Social Services Committee recommended that council, later this month, authorize spending up to $350,000 for a mobile trailer for the homeless.

A report presented to mayors indicates that the temporary warming room at the Northumberland County Administration Building operated for 137 days in 2025/26, with nearly 2,500 visits by 176 people.

“This demonstrates consistent demand and repeated use by many individuals throughout the winter season. County staff is proposing that the 2026/2027 Warming Room be hosted on County property located at 555 Courthouse Road, utilizing the lower parking lot of the legacy Golden Plough Lodge,” the report read.

Associate Director of Housing and Homelessness Rebecca Snelgrove said while the initial start-up costs appear high, the trailer could be sold next year, once a long-term plan has been developed.

She explained that it’s expected to take five months to implement the trailer plan. However, County Warden and Trent Hills Mayor Bob Crate, while not liking the initial trailer cost, wondered whether Building 18 in Cobourg could be a viable permanent solution.

This idea was first suggested by Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland in February as he noticed that many homeless people were hanging out in Victoria Hall, creating potential safety hazards for staff and the public.

Building 18, near the Cobourg Community Centre currently has two tenants, yet the second floor is unoccupied. Crate suggested that Building 18 currently has some fire suppression devices installed, allowing users to sleep at night. Snelgrove countered that Building 18 would need accessibility upgrades and that a timeline for completing this work may not be achievable before winter.

County CAO Dan Borowec said consultation with the existing Building 18 tenants would need to be completed. Port Hope Mayor Olena Hankivsky joined Crate and Cleveland in favor of Building 18. A report on the upgrade needs to be completed for the June County Council meeting.

County resident Diane Minol, who in February opposed the use of Building 18, said at the meeting she opposed the County spending money on the mobile trailer but now favors a long-term solution. Cleveland said Building 18 was a former medical building, owned by Cobourg, suggesting renovations would not be a barrier to this as a solution. Council will debate the matter more in the coming weeks.