A new report reveals that Toronto's warming centres, while essential for vulnerable residents during extreme cold, cost taxpayers a staggering $359 per person per night. This raises concerns about the city's budget allocation and highlights the need for more sustainable solutions like subsidized housing. The report recommends a review of warming centre operations and a shift towards long-term housing supports.
The City of Toronto has already been forced to open its warming centres on several days in 2025 due to plummeting temperatures that pose a serious risk to residents without adequate shelter. While these centres, scattered throughout the city, provide a temporary haven in extreme cold weather (temperatures of -15°C or lower, and/or wind chill of -20°C or lower), a recent report has revealed their exorbitant operating cost: a staggering $359 per person per night.
This makes warming centres the most expensive type of shelter space the city operates, far surpassing the cost of standard shelter beds at $136 per night. To put this cost into perspective, a one-night stay at several luxury hotels in Toronto is cheaper than a single night at a warming centre. The report also highlights inefficient budgeting practices, with many beds left vacant despite existing demand during winter months. The city tends to overestimate the required capacity for warming centres, leading to unnecessary expenditures.Despite offering fewer amenities than standard shelters, warming centres have become the most costly shelter option for the city. The Auditor General's report suggests a more cost-effective and sustainable approach: investing in long-term solutions like subsidized housing. This strategy not only benefits individuals by providing stable and affordable housing but also significantly reduces the financial burden on taxpayers. The report demonstrates that emergency shelters, including hotel programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, were three times more expensive than supportive housing. Furthermore, they were seven to ten times costlier than subsidized housing, rental subsidies, or housing allowances, even after factoring in federal and provincial funding offsets.The City Council will convene on Wednesday to discuss the recommendations presented in the Auditor General's report. These recommendations include a comprehensive review of deactivation procedures for warming centres, an assessment of the reported operating costs, and the implementation of better data collection methods to accurately gauge unmet demand and determine the necessary number of winter program spaces.
Toronto Warming Centres Shelters Housing Costs Budget Auditor General Subsidized Housing
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