By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Councillor Lucas Cleveland engaged Northumberland County council in a discussion of more than an hour’s duration centering on his grievances with a motion to expand the capacity of its homeless shelter at 310 Division St., Cobourg.
One issue for Cleveland was that – as mayor of Cobourg – he is just learning about the county already having increased its capacity, even though the increase from 35 to 40 is well within fire code provisions. He was concerned that the move could be made without notifying the town, likening it to expanding capacity at the Golden Plough Lodge without notifying the province.
He also questioned that, in applying for its 2026 license for Transition House under the town’s Emergency Care Establishment bylaw, no number was given for how many the shelter planned to accommodate.
Nevertheless, the 2026 license has been granted by the town in spite of both points.
Associate Director of Housing and Homelessness Rebecca Snelgrove said that their initial application for a license, for the year 2025, specified space for 35. When they learned that fire code provisions for those premises actually allowed as many as 46, they changed their 2026 application to say they would have a maximum accommodation at the shelter of the the number permitted by all applicable bylaw and fire code provisions.
And the town subsequently granted the 2026 license, Snelgrove pointed out.
Toward the end of the extended discussion, the county’s legal representative spoke up to state that the county is absolutely in compliance with all applicable legal requirements in making the move.
“We can commit to the courtesy of providing information on a more timely basis when we make these changes so they are not caught off-guard, but I believe we are in compliance with the license,” he concluded.
“What I can comfortably say is, I feel we have had a very good collaboration,” acting Chief Administrative Officer Glenn Dees added.
“There have been some hiccups along the way, but we are trying to navigate operating a shelter as well as a warming centre. On the town’s side, they are trying to implement and ensure the ECE bylaw being held to and enforce where they need to. I think communications have been good.
“I can commit as acting CAO to have those discussions with the town to ensure we are moving forward on that path for communications and co-operation.”
The motion before council was amended to permit the maximum number of residents permitted, which is 46, on at least a temporary basis, given that the shelter is operating at about 98.5% occupancy with the maximum already raised to 40.
They had not yet increased the capacity beyond that, Snelgrove said, because the town’s ECE bylaw sets a staffing ratio of 1 staffer to 20 residents – so that much of an increase comes with no additional cost to the county.
To go to 46 residents would mean hiring a third staffer to work every shift around the clock, a cost she estimated at $280,000. It’s a cost that’s not been in the budget, she added.
County Treasurer, Matthew Nitsch said, if necessary, that money could come out of reserves.
When the vote on the motion was called – resulting in its passing – Cleveland abstained.
