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Community Support for Queen Street Apartments

Published September 2023

The Queen Street Apartments were possible because of a Rapid Housing Initiative grant through the Region of Waterloo and the Federal Government’s CMHC. The funding provided capital contributions for the rapid construction of new housing and/or acquisition of existing buildings for rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable housing. This project achieved its goal when the new tenants all moved in during June 2023, one year after construction started.

The project mainly renovated the second and third floors of 54-44 and 58 Queen Street South. Over the years these floors were primarily used for office or studio space for dance and yoga and in the 1990’s was the home to Pop the Gator Blues Club.

In June we welcomed the new tenants, all of who were living in shelters or precarious housing. The tenants, all single woman, many with children, have come from all over the world including Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, Albania, Kosovo, and Iran.

Before the move-in, the Waterloo Rotary Club made a big commitment to support this housing project. During the Waterloo Mayor’s Breakfast held at RIM Park the proceeds from the event – a total of $18,000 – were contributed to the Queen Street Apartments capital fund. On May 16th, members of the Waterloo Rotary Club helped unbox and set up 21 sets of fridges and stoves. Just before the June 1st move-in the Club dropped off 21 house warming baskets that were delivered to each unit. Another greatly appreciated gift was the sharing of 21 kitchen tables and 21 end tables from members of the Kitchener Waterloo Woodworking and Craft Centre, creatively made from left over hardwood flooring.

We welcome capital donations to help completely pay down the costs of construction.

Thank You for Your Support!

Region of Waterloo CMHC Rapid Housing Initiative

City of Kitchener and the Region for waiving Development Fees

Robert J Dyck Architect

and Engineer Inc.

Just Working Construction

Waterloo Region Community

Foundation Housing Fund

Trinity United Church

Legacy Fund

Waterloo Rotary Club

Mamie Beilstein Charitable Foundation

Kathie Keefe

Lee Horton

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The Integrated Circle of Care is a fluid and collaborative approach followed by workers from different agencies weaving through St. John’s Kitchen. Within this approach, staff members from each agency are aware of their specific personal roles. However, the high level of collaboration between workers means that people can approach any worker, without knowing their agency association or specific role, and still receive support – either that worker will support the person directly, or they will introduce the person to another worker who can support the person more appropriately.

This approach makes relationships more natural and support more accessible. Workers from different agencies are easily approachable, meaning that people build relationships with multiple workers. Having relationships with different workers is important to a person’s support – it makes support from a trusted source easy to find, and means that people have a choice of worker to approach in any given situation.

In order to maintain a circle of care around a person, workers from different agencies ask for consent from the person for information to be shared between workers. Continuous communication between workers helps to ensure that people do not fall into gaps between services, and also that services are not duplicated.

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