Canada Post Disruption

Canada Post mail could be disrupted as of Sept. 26, 2025. Please do not mail payments, including tax payments and other time-sensitive documents, during a postal disruption. Payments normally mailed to the City must be made by their due date.

Homelessness Services

Home Base Housing's Street Outreach team monitors homeless individuals. If you're homeless, or know someone in need, call 613-542-6672 ext.130 or email streetoutreach@kingstonhomebase.ca.

If you or someone you know is in a crisis, please reach out to the Addictions and Mental Health - KFLA 24/7 Crisis Line at 613-544-4229 or 1-866-616-6005. In case of an emergency, call 911.

We oversee the funding for homelessness prevention and housing initiatives in Kingston and the County of Frontenac through the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP). We work with local organizations to help prevent homelessness and provide housing for those who are experiencing it. 

At all public City buildings, our staff can help connect you to various support services, including housing assistance and more.

For more information about Warming Centres, visit the Warm Up and Cool Down Locations page.

We also offer printable resources you can download:

Emergency shelters 

If you find yourself without a place to stay and need shelter, please reach out to one of the emergency shelters listed below for assistance. If possible, please call ahead to check for available space. 

Kingston Youth Shelter

Overnight shelter for youth aged 16-24. 

  • 365 Nelson St. 
  • Phone: 613-549-4236 
  • Open 24/7 
  • Drop-in services available
  • Services offered: Family mediation, storage, meals, showers 

Lily’s Place

Shelter for families with children. 

  • 333 Kingscourt Ave. 
  • Phone: 613-542-6672 ext. 3 
  • Open 24/7 
  • Capacity: 31 individuals
  • Group(s) serviced: Single parents or couples with children
  • Services offered: Programming, showers, laundry, meal assistance

In From the Cold Emergency Shelter

  • 540 Montreal St. 
  • Phone: 613-542-6672 ext. 2 
  • Open 24/7 
  • Capacity: 34 individuals, in 34 beds
  • Group(s) serviced: Adults over 24 years of age
  • Services offered: Pet friendly, programming, storage, meals, showers 

Please note: 10 additional beds for 10 additional individuals will be available starting Jan. 6, 2025. 

Adelaide St. Centre 

  • 38 Cowdy St. 
  • Phone: 613-483-8580 
  • Open 7 days a week, from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Capacity: 55 individuals, in 55 beds
  • Group(s) serviced: Adults over 25 years of age
  • Services offered: Couples welcome, storage, meals

Integrated Care Hub (ICH)

  • 661 Montreal St.
  • Phone: 613-329-6417
  • Open 7 days a week, from 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Capacity: 28 individuals, in 24 beds
  • Group(s) serviced: Adults over 18 years of age
  • Services offered: Pet friendly, couples welcome, storage, meals

Dawn House for Women 

Emergency shelter for individuals who identify as female.

  • Phone: 613-929-3440
  • Open 24/7
  • Capacity: 14 individuals, in 14 beds
  • Services offered: Programming, showers, laundry, meal assistance 

Drop-in / day services

The following places offer services like food, showers and connections to community resources for people without permanent housing. These places are safe and provide a sense of community.

  • 38 Cowdy St.
  • Phone: 613-483-8580
  • Drop-in services open 7 days a week, including statutory holidays
    • 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Overnight drop-in also available
  • Services offered: Washrooms, meals, and scheduled programming and activities 
  • Shower Services by sign up only
    • Sign up sheet available at Adelaide St. Centre day services
    • Showers located at Salvation Army (342 Patrick St)
    • Showers available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Drop in centre for families with children under 6 years old and expecting parents.

  • 263 Weller Ave. Unit #4
  • Open Monday to Friday
    • 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Services offered: Programming, Indigenous supports, cooking and child-minding, washrooms 

  • 661 Montreal St.
  • Phone: 613-329-6417
  • Website: Integrated Care Hub (ICH)
  • Open 7 days a week,
    • 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Services offered:
    • Connect with essential services
    • Access to showers and bathrooms
    • Access to computers
    • Access to support workers
    • Other basic needs 

The Consumption Treatment Services at the ICH site (CTS) is also open 7 days a week, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

A community hub where youth-serving agencies provide complete services for youth ages 16-24.  

  • 620 Princess St. 
  • Phone: 613-542-6672
  • Monday – Friday
    • 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  • Services offered: Programming, washrooms, showers, meals and laundry 

  • 60 Queen St.
  • Open Monday – Saturday
    • 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Services offered: Washrooms, meals and laundry

  • 260 Brock St. 
  • Phone: 613-546-5521
  • Monday – Friday
    • 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
  • Services offered: Washrooms, showers and meals 

Specialized services

These programs focus on helping women or women and their children who are escaping from harmful or dangerous environments.

Emergency shelter for Women, youth and children who have experienced violence.

  • Phone: 613-546-1777
  • Website: Kingston Interval House
  • Open 24/7
  • Capacity: 25 individuals, in 25 beds
  • Services offered: Support services, programming, showers, laundry, meals 

Please note: Kingston Interval House has a crisis line available 24/7. 

Meal services

If you find yourself in the need a meal, there are places in the city that can help. Meal services are available through local programs for anyone who needs them. Check the list below to find out where to go.  

  • 129 Wellington St.
  • Monday to Friday
    • 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

A space that offers meals and referrals to wanted community supports.

  • 629 Princess St.
  • Phone: 613-546-0320
  • Open 7 days a week
  • Indoor dining available Monday to Friday:
    • Breakfast from 9 - 11 a.m.
    • Lunch from 12 - 2 p.m.
    • Dinner from 3 - 5 p.m.
  • Take out meal available everyday from 12 - 2 p.m.
  • Meal delivery is available pending eligibility

 

  • 85 Steven St.
  • Monday to Friday
    • 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  • Clothing and household items are available

Please note: You need an ID and an address for accessing the emergency food pantry service.

  • Tuesdays and Thursdays
    • Typically delivered between 3 - 4 p.m.

Please note: Approximately 20 meals are available per day and are distributed by the Home Base Housing's Street Outreach team.

Outreach services

Street Outreach Workers will check on individuals’ wellbeing and encourage people living outside to come indoors. Outreach staff also hands out blankets, sleeping bags and warm winter clothing all winter long when supplies permit. 

Find below the list of outreach services providers that service the city of Kingston.

  • Provides services 7 days a week
    • 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
  • Phone: 613-542-6672 ext. 130

The Home Base Housing's Street Outreach Team plans to expand its hours of operation in January 2025.

 

By appointment only.

To access a storage service or get more details, please contact either:  

Street Outreach Service in the Downtown Business Improvement Area

  • Phone: 613-583-5008
  • Provides services 7 days a week
    • 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Prevention diversion services

The following organizations provide prevention services to individuals at imminent risk of homelessness and divert them from entering the shelter system through housing support services.

Phone: 613-542-6672

Phone: 613-544-4661

Phone: 613-548-4411

Public washrooms

Public washrooms are available across the city for everyone to use. These facilities are located in key areas to ensure convenience for residents and visitors alike. Find locations and hours of operation below.

  • Located at 216 Ontario - Lower level. Access through Market Square. 
  • Hours of operation: Daily from 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Please note: When outdoor rink is in operation hours are extended until 10 p.m.

  • Located at 166 Brock St. 
  • Hours of operation:
    • Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
    • Saturday and  Sunday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

  • Located at 41 King Street West
  • Hours of operation: Open 24/7

Camping in public spaces/encampments 

Our encampment procedure sets clear guidelines for City staff and our partners in supporting people experiencing homelessness. Our goal is to help people find safer and healthier options for housing and direct them toward support services. We know that each person is different, so we will look at each case individually to support people based on their unique needs.

Enforcement of daytime sheltering prohibition

The City, with support from community partners, will have begun applying the Parks Use Bylaw.

To facilitate this change, municipal and agency support staff are proactively communicating the upcoming change to people staying in public parks. City staff, partnering with Street Outreach workers, are on site and actively engaging with people staying in parks, informing individuals of options and receiving feedback on how the enforcement of the bylaw will affect them. People who are staying in parks are being offered support services, indoor spaces in which to shelter, transportation and storage options for their belongings. Daytime storage options for shelters and belongings and drop-in services are expanding to support those transitioning out of the area during the day. 

We remain committed to finding safe, supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.

Encampment protocol procedures 

We will use these procedures when we find tents or structures in public places where camping is not allowed, and on private properties. 

City Bylaw staff start by working with the Street Outreach team. They visit the site, assess health and safety and find out what the people there need. Then Bylaw gives a six-hour notice to leave. During this time, Street Outreach and Housing and Social Services offer support and suggest alternatives like shelters, Integrated Care Hub, medical care or storage for personal items. 

Street Outreach helps people find new places to stay. Bylaw enforces the trespass notice once alternative options are provided. Sometimes police help with enforcement if needed. 

After everyone leaves, Bylaw and Public Works staff figure out what clean-up is needed to make the area safe for the public.

If you own private land and people are camping there, you can ask Street Outreach for help. They will talk to the individuals and offer support. If that does not work, you can contact Kingston Police to speak with the individuals, and they may bring support workers from other organizations, such as Addictions and Mental Health Services. 

You are responsible for cleaning up your property.

Why do people get turned away from shelters?

On average, most shelters are at between 80-100% occupancy nightly. People may be turned away for one of the following reasons.

The goal of diversion is to ensure that clients have exhausted all of the existing resources before they enter a shelter.

Shelter staff in the City of Kingston practice a 9-step diversion approach to help clients identify safe alternatives to shelter. This can include mediating with landlords or roommates to remain in their current housing, staying with friends or family, renting a motel room, etc.

If there is truly no other suitable option, the client will be admitted to shelter. Staff will have a conversation around the expectations that the client will be engaged in searching for housing.

Some clients are on a service restriction for behaviour that poses a serious risk to staff or other clients. Often these clients are permitted to access day services to connect with staff and resources.

If a client is intoxicated to the point that they are a risk to themselves or others, they are not appropriate for the shelter.

Shelters are not staffed with healthcare professionals or personal support workers. Clients must be able to meet their needs independently (transfers, bathing, toileting, etc.).

Clients must agree to engage in the housing search process and work with case management. The shelter is a temporary option for emergency shelter; it is not housing.

Contact

Homelessness Services
homelessness
@cityofkingston.ca
Phone: 613-546-4291 ext.4895

The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinabek, Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.

Today, the City is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.

Learn more about the City's reconciliation initiatives.

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