On Thursday, March 26th, approximately 30 Vincentians and guests gathered in the Community Room of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Thrift Store to hear two speakers from the City of Brantford give an update regarding housing and homelessness within the city. This was the third meeting with the city, the two previous being at the Society’s Annual Formation days in 2023 and 2024.
SSVP Housing Champions chairperson, Kristine Paul, introduced Katie Maas, Director of Housing and Homelessness and Marsha Potvin, Manager of Housing Stability.
Marsha explained her position and the various elements of her portfolio ranging from HRC operated currently by SOAR, encampment outreach, city housing intake, etc. She also showed statistical information regarding homelessness from PIT counts over the last few years. She also explained the difference between market rent, affordable rent, geared to income and subsidized rent.
Katie Maas presented the city’s plans to develop the “Fox Ridge” property at 389 West St., which the city purchased in October 2025, intending to transform it into a major housing hub. The site is 4.82 acres in size. There are 3 phases to the development – emergency shelter, transitional housing and permanent affordable housing. The emergency shelter is scheduled to open October 1, 2026. As residents of Six Nations Iroquois Lodge Nursing home had been displaced due to flooding, 50 elders will be relocated to Fox Ridge for approximately 3 years while the new nursing home is built on the reserve. Phase 2 will introduce transitional and supportive housing with onsite access to health, social and stabilization support. Phase 3 permanent housing could have between 72 to 144 modular units that align with provincial and federal construction funding priorities.
The presentation generated innumerable questions from the enthusiastic audience.
Pat Lenz, Director of Community Outreach for the Society, congratulated the two presenters and Brantford’s housing initiatives for earning national recognition by Built for Zero Canada and Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness(CAEH) as well as Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund. The federal government selected Brantford for a nearly $450,000 grant through the Homelessness Reduction Innovation Fund program, rewarding the city’s data-driven approach and allowing the expansion of the Housing Stability Worker Program.
The evening ended with a “breaking of bread” and sharing of homemade soups.
