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Guide Overview

Emergency Services

Emergency Shelter and Housing
Counselling and Abuse
Lesbian and Gay Counselling
Housing Help Centres
Community Legal Services
Legal Information
Your Rights as a Tenant
Drop-In and Parenting Centres
School for Children
Adult Education
Employment and Job Skills Training
Workers' Rights
Volunteering
Immigration and Settlement Services
Food Banks
Health
Prenatal Care
Sexual Health Clinics
Dental Clinics
Lost Canadian Identification
Advocacy Centres
Municipal Services
Acknowledgments

Emergency Shelters and Housing

Telephone interviews conducted by shelter staff are required to determine urgency. The Central Family Intake Line is a city system that also conducts interviews to determine which shelter is suitable for a person’s needs. Please be advised  however that Central Intake is obligated to inform the Children’s Aid Society if there is an incident of domestic abuse where there is a child of 16 years and under in the family.

For this reason we suggest contacting one of these shelters directly: 

 

Women and Children

Interval House

Office phone:                (416) 924-1411 Administration
Crisis Phone:                (416) 924-1491
TTY phone:                  (416) 924-4833
Fax:                              (416) 928-9020 Administration
E-mail:                          info@intervalhouse.on.ca
Website:                       www.intervalhouse.on.ca
Mail Address:               131 Bloor St W, Ste 200, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1R8
Hours:                          Mon-Sun 24 hours
Language of service:     English, Hindi, Hungarian, Polish, Punjabi, Somali, Spanish, Tamil, Urdu * cultural interpreters available for other languages
Eligibility:                      Assaulted women (18+) and their children
How to apply:               Call first for details regarding vacancies and admission procedure
Fees:                            Free
Physical access:            Wheelchair accessible -- call for details * street parking close to entrance
Service description:       Shelter * capacity 30 * food * some clothing * court support * children's program * ex-resident program * counselling * 24 hour crisis line * Interval House Community Programs also provides employment development skills in its Building Economic Self Sufficiency program to non-status women survivors of domestic abuse. As well has housing counselling and support.

 

Redwood Shelter

Office phone:                (416) 533-9372
Crisis phone:                 (416) 533-8538
TTY Phone:                  (416) 533-3736
Fax:                              (416) 533-9744 Programs ;(416) 533-7867 Administration
E-mail:                          info@theredwood.com
Website:                       www.theredwood.com
Address:                       2238 Dundas St W, Box 59030, Toronto, Ontario, M6R 3B5
Contacts:                      Nahid Amin, Client Services Manager, (416) 533-9372 ext 226
Hours:                          Mon-Sun 24 hours
Language of service:     American Sign Language, Arabic, Bana, English, Farsi, French, German, Gujurati, Hindi, Italian, Pashto, Portuguese, Spanish, Urdu, Amharic, Dari, Luo, Marati, Swahili, Tagalog, Tamil, Tigrinya, Yoruba, Caribbean dialects * interpreters available for other languages*
Eligibility:                      Women, and their children, who are fleeing violence, male children up to 16 or 17  years of age
How to apply:               Call first for details on vacancies and admission procedure
Fees:                            Free
Physical access:            Wheelchair accessible building including barrier free washroom and laundry * braille elevator with lowered buttons * street parking close to entrance
Service description:       Emergency short term shelter * capacity 33 * crisis intervention and counselling * family support * legal, housing, employment, education and childcare support and referrals, advocacy and outreach*

 

Women’s Habitat of Etobicoke

Office phone:                (416) 252-7949
Crisis phone:                 (416) 252-5829
TTY Phone:                  (416) 252-0361
Fax:                              (416) 252-6666
E-mail:                          habitat@womens-habitat.ca
Website:                       www.womens-habitat.ca
Address:                       140 Islington Ave Toronto, ON M8V 3B6
Hours:                          Shelter -- Mon-Sun 24 hours
Language of service:     English, Farsi, Kurdish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish * interpreters on call for other languages
Eligibility:                      Assaulted women * priority to those with children
How to apply:               Call first for details on vacancies and admission procedure
Fees:                            Free
Physical access:            Shelter is wheelchair accessible including washroom but not kitchen or laundry room, assistance provided * service dogs accommodated -- call for details
Service description:       Emergency shelter * capacity 25 * counselling * child care program where Child and Youth Counsellors help children express their feelings about what they have witnessed, understand that violence and abuse are wrong, learn alternatives to violence and help them deal with separation and divorce* referrals and advocacy * crisis intervention by telephone..

 

YWCA Toronto
Housing and Support
Beatrice House
 
 
Office phone 416-652-0077
Fax 416-652-0016
Web site www.beatricehouse.com
 
Address 177 Caledonia Rd, Toronto, ON, M6E 4S8
Location (Intersection) Toronto West (Caledonia Rd-St Clair Ave W)
Hours Office -- Mon-Fri 9-5 * residence -- Mon-Sun 24 hours
 
Languages of service English
Eligibility:  homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, not in immediate crises. Mother is 18 and over, 1 child in family should be 5 or under and be willing to enroll in Beatrice House childcare, participate in either an educational/ training program, Beatrice House programs or work
 
How to apply For intake or referral, call Outreach Worker 416-652-0077 ext 238
Fees None
Physical access Wheelchair accessible first floor only, with barrier free washroom * residence -- not wheelchair accessible
 
Service description Second stage housing * education and training supports * parenting program in residential setting * early childhood development focus * access to child care on site

 

Salvation Army. Evangeline Residence

Office phone:                (416) 762-9636
Fax:                              (416) 762-3086
Address:                       2808 Dundas St W, Toronto, Ontario, M6P 1Y5
Location:                      Toronto West (Keele St-Dundas St W)
Area served:                 City of Toronto
Hours:                          Mon-Sun 24 hours
Language of service:     English * interpretation for other languages may be available 24 hours
Eligibility:                      Emergency Shelter -- women 16 years and over including refugees and victims of assault or sexual assault * must be ambulatory * Primary Support Unit -- homeless women experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties * must have no suicidal or homicidal intent
How to apply:               Call for details on vacancies and admission procedure
Fees:                            Free
Physical access:            Wheelchair accessible building including main entrance and barrier free washrooms
Service description:       Emergency Shelter -- capacity 71 * maximum length of stay varies according to need * counselling and referrals * life skills * clothing * meals * crisis intervention * advocacy

Primary Support Unit -- capacity 5 * maximum stay 3 weeks * respite, crisis stabilization and 24 hour support

 

Society of St Vincent de Paul

(Operates 4 emergency shelters in the city- you may contact the main telephone number to find the one most suitable for you)

Office phone: 416-364-5577
Fax: 416-364-2055
Email: info@svdptoronto.com
Web site: www.svdptoronto.com
 
Address: 240 Church St, Toronto, ON, M5B 1Z2
Location (Intersection): Toronto Central (Church St-Dundas St E)
 
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-4:30
Area served: Greater Toronto Area
Languages of service: English
 
How to apply: Call for referral to nearest Conference for appropriate services
 
Service description: Referrals to food vouchers, clothing and furniture * Marygrove Camp -- residential camp on Georgian Bay for girls 5-13 years * see branch records for other services, including community stores selling low-cost used clothing and household goods

 

Fred Victor Centre
FVC Women's Hostel
 

Office phone 416-368-2642
Fax 416-368-5890  
Web site www.fredvictor.org
 
Address 86 Lombard St, Toronto, ON, M5C 1M3  
Location (Intersection) Toronto Central (Jarvis St-Queen St E)

Hours Closed Mon-Fri 9:30-3
Languages of service English ; French ; Italian ; Spanish
 
Eligibility Homeless women 18 years and over without children * trans-positive services  
How to apply Call first for details on vacancies and admission procedure
Physical access No accessible entrance * barrier free washrooms
 
Service description Emergency shelter * capacity 40 * average stay 3-12 months * counselling * support * crisis management * psychiatrist available * referrals * trans women and trans men welcome) -- Tuesday 6 pm-7 pm * food box for exresidents

 

Men and Women

Dixon Hall
Heyworth House
 
Office phone            416-691-0012
Fax                           416-691-0024
Email                        david.reycraft@dixonhall.org
 
Web site                   www.dixonhall.org
Address                   2714 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON, M4C 1L7
Location                   (Intersection) Toronto East (Dawes Rd-Danforth Ave)
 
Hours                       Mon-Sun 24 hours
Languages of service English
Eligibility                 Homeless women and men 24 years and over
Physical access         Not wheelchair accessible
 
Service description   Overnight emergency shelter * capacity 70

 

Men

Scott Mission

Office phone:                (416) 923-8872
Fax:                              (416) 923-1067
E-mail:                          info@scottmission.com
Website:                       www.scottmission.com
Address:                       502 Spadina Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2H1
Location:                      Toronto Central (Spadina Ave-College St)
Hours:                          Mon-Fri 8:30-5, Sat-Sun 8:30-12 noon * some programs after hours
Language of service:     English, Cantonese, Farsi, French, Greek, Italian, Ilongo, Mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, Sinhala, Vietnamese, Zambal

Eligibility:                      Men and women 16 years and over * children and youth 1-1/2 - 17 years * varies for different programs
How to apply:               Contact intake worker * identification required
Physical access:            Street parking
Service description:       Hot meal Monday-Sunday at 10:30 am and 11:30 am * also daily bag lunches at 2 pm and 7 pm

Men -- clothing * Sunday morning worship * films, outings, games, Bible discussion group -- call for times * counselling * support groups * overnight shelter Monday-Sunday from 7 pm-7 am -- capacity 45, supper and breakfast included (pre-register at Men's Ministry Department intake office 7 pm) * evening drop-in centre -- Monday-Friday, October-May * laundry and shower facilities -- call for times * foot clinic * first aid, primary health care Monday-Friday -- call for times

Women 416-923-8872 -- by appointment * emergency clothing and food, including baby food and formula * layettes for newborns * household items, bedding * supportive counselling and referrals * Christmas hampers * Ladies Fellowship Thursday afternoons *Bible Study groups in English, Spanish, Filipino, Russian & Seniors

Women and Family Food and Clothing Bank 416-923-3916 -- by appointment only, emergencies accepted * Monday-Friday 9:30-11:45; Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday 1:30-4 * for women and their families and single fathers with custody of children

Children and youth -- after school and weekend clubs * summer camp at Caledon * licenced child care * fees, subsidies available

Newcomers

Adam House
 
Office phone 416-538-2836
Crisis phone 416-538-2836
Fax 416-538-8563
 
Email info@adamhouse.org
Address 430 Gladstone Ave, Toronto, ON, M6H 3H9
Location (Intersection) Toronto West (Dufferin St-Bloor St W)
 
Hours Shelter -- Mon-Sun 24 hours * administration -- Mon-Fri 9-5
Languages of service English ; interpreters available for most languages
 
Eligibility New refugee claimants -- individuals and families in Canada less than 2 days
How to apply Call for information * referrals primarily from Canada Citizenship and Immigration, Canadian Red Cross First Contact Program, or community agencies
 
Fees Information and referral -- free * rents based on social assistance benefits
 
Physical access Not wheelchair accessible
 
Service description Temporary accommodation * capacity 21 * meals * average stay 8 weeks * information and referral -- legal aid, immigration, social assistance * settlement services * reception * non-residents -- immigration consultation and referral