The Salvation Army’s Centre of Hope in Windsor, Ont., has expanded its shelter services to better support couples experiencing homelessness, as well as individuals with pets. According to Jason Linton, executive director, there are widespread gaps in services that often lead to people choosing between staying with their partner or pet, or having a safe place to stay.

“We recognized these gaps early on,” says Linton. “There really isn’t a shelter service, at least in Windsor, that addresses couples. Typically, when a couple comes into shelter, they’re separated. We questioned whether that’s the most dignified way to serve clients.”

The Centre of Hope has repurposed seven rooms into private, secure units. Five of these rooms are now dedicated to couples, and two others have been designated for single men who have pets.

“It promotes a sense of dignity that they can stay together,” says Linton. “It can be challenging for people to go into a shelter, and ultimately, if we can keep them together as a couple or accommodate their pet, it can help lessen the shock for someone who is already going through a hard time in their lives.”

The program initially launched as a two-month pilot and has already helped three couples transition into affordable housing. As it continues to garner positive results, the program has received extended funding from the City of Windsor into 2026.

“It’s incumbent on us to be compassionate and empathetic about the circumstances that bring people into the shelter, and to meet them where they’re at,” says Linton. “As The Salvation Army, that’s what sets us apart from other shelters.”