A Lambton County report warns that the Out of the Cold overflow shelter is the “primary reason” for low encampment numbers , and prematurely closing it while demand remains high would “more than double” the unsheltered population, primarily in downtown Sarnia.
A new report from Lambton County’s Social Services Division warns that prematurely closing the Out of the Cold overflow shelter would likely cause the number of people living in encampments to “more than double,” shifting the burden onto municipal services and "harshly" impacting health outcomes for those individuals.
The report, dated November 5, 2025, provides a stark overview of the continued high demand for shelter services in Sarnia-Lambton. It states that while the County remains "firmly committed" to closing the 35-bed overflow facility at 837 Exmouth Street "at the earliest feasible opportunity," local demand must "guide the timing thereof."
If the shelter were closed at its current demand, the report projects "more than 30 individuals would likely resort to living in encampments throughout the City of Sarnia."
This would be a significant setback, as the report credits the overflow shelter as the "primary reason for the low number of encampments in the County of Lambton," which currently consists of approximately 20 individuals on any given night.
The facility has been operating with expanded, low-barrier services ever since the City of Sarnia formally requested it in May 2024, following the emergence of the Rainbow Park encampment, which at its peak saw roughly 100 unique individuals living unsheltered.
Data included in the report illustrates the intense pressure on the local system. While Lambton County has "strong local housing outcomes" compared to other communities—successfully moving 23 people from homelessness into permanent housing in September 2025 alone—the inflow of new people needing help is outpacing these successes.
In that same month, more than 50 individuals entered the local By-Name List (BNL), 33 of whom were newly experiencing homelessness.
This constant demand is reflected in the shelter's occupancy rates, which have averaged 85% over the past year and have been above 90% in most months. Even during the summer of 2025, a time when shelter use typically decreases, the program saw an average of almost 25 individuals each night.
The total number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Sarnia-Lambton (including those in shelters, transitional housing, or precariously housed) has climbed steadily, from 284 in July to 314 in September.
The report cautions that closing the overflow shelter, which accounts for approximately half of the total available shelter beds in Lambton County, would also "substantially impact" the ability of local By-Law and police officials to enforce encampment protocols.
Furthermore, as 95% of the current shelter occupants are Sarnia residents, the report expects the "increase of absolute homelessness would most significantly impact the area of downtown Sarnia."
Relief is on the horizon, but the report managers its impact. A total of 44 new supportive and affordable housing units are anticipated to become available in early 2026 through several projects:
Maxwell Park Place: Eight units will be dedicated to individuals from the By-Name List.
The HART Hub: This includes 12 supportive housing units run by Indwell and 14 private market units supported by CMHA staff.
Rent Supplements: 10 additional units are being negotiated.
However, the report cautions that provincial funding for the HART Hub units is "still pending confirmation." It also states that it is "unknown how many individuals housed in these 44 units will be from the shelter system," as occupants must be assessed for support needs and, in some cases, approved by private market landlords.
Because of this uncertainty, the County's timeline for closing the overflow shelter "is unclear at this time." The report states the County will "review the possibility of closing the Overflow Shelter in the spring of 2026," but adds that the closure date "cannot be guaranteed."
The report acknowledges the shelter's impact on the surrounding neighbourhood and details ongoing mitigation efforts. In a significant move, day programming services co-located at the shelter were moved to 210 Lochiel Street as of November 3, 2025, a change expected to "significantly" reduce traffic at the Exmouth Street facility.
The County, The Inn of the Good Shepherd, Sarnia Police Services, and the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church continue to meet regularly with representatives from the surrounding Melrose Community Group.
Data provided by partners suggests these efforts may be working. Sarnia Police Services data shows a "consistent decline in officer-tagged events" related to the shelter since June 2025. Similarly, Lambton EMS data shows a "60% reduction" in calls for behavioral concerns in the first three quarters of 2025 compared to the last three quarters of 2024.
The report also highlights the difficult conditions for those working at the facility, noting that "dedicated on-site staff" are "regularly facing challenging conditions, including threats, verbal abuse, harassment, and, at times, physical aggression from the community."
