Supporting needs of Ontarians through safe space in the forest.
Trauma Helpline's approach is grounded in addressing two root causes of homelessness, rather than only its downstream effects.
The first is extreme housing unaffordability: a severe lack of deeply affordable housing, skyrocketing rents, and low vacancy rates make it increasingly difficult for low-income Canadians to secure or maintain housing.
The second is cost of living: high inflation and the overall cost of living have outpaced stagnant wages and social assistance rates, pushing vulnerable households into financial precarity and, for many, into homelessness.
This project responds directly to both drivers by adding affordable, purpose-built housing stock to a region with a documented shortage, paired with the wraparound and employment assistance supports needed to help residents rebuild financial stability once housed.
The organization recognizes that many in the Peterborough region who are engaged with the justice system may not have adequate housing and may become part of the cycle that bring them in front of the court without proper support. Trauma Helpline is there to break that cycle.
01 - The Need
A crisis that rural service systems weren't built for
Peterborough and the surrounding Hastings/Madoc region are facing a worsening homelessness crisis — and Veterans, though a distinct and underserved population within it, have no dedicated housing or support option anywhere in the region.
People experiencing homelessness on a single night in Peterborough & County
(Fall 2024 Point-in-Time Count)
265+
Estimated Veterans currently experiencing homelessness across the local region
30 - 50
Veterans are considerably more likely than non-Veterans to be sleeping rough or in places not meant for habitation, rather than accessing even emergency shelter.
Rural means fewer options, not fewer people in need. A city core may have several shelters, clinics, and transit routes within reach. Madoc and the surrounding county typically have only a fraction of these services, if any — and what exists can be a long, difficult drive away for someone without stable housing or transportation. It's a core reason this project brings support directly on-site, rather than sending Veterans out to find it.
02 - The Vision
Built around five principles, not a template
The project follows the same five principles that shaped the federal Veteran Homelessness Program's own design — adapted to a rural, forested site in Madoc, Hastings County.
Priority
The Veteran population comes first — including Indigenous Veterans and female Veterans — through outreach and intake built specifically around Veteran service records and VAC benefit status.
Partnership
Formal agreements with Veterans Affairs Canada, the United Way of Peterborough & District, area Legion branches, and local Indigenous organizations — working alongside existing systems, not duplicating them.
Evidence
Grounded in Housing First and HUD-VASH-style supportive housing — stable housing paired with case management and clinical support, the model Parliament itself pointed to via Motion M-225.
Choice
Private, standalone cabins rather than a congregate shelter — respecting Veterans' documented preference for genuine choice in how and where they're housed.
Support
Health, mental health, addictions, peer, employment, and justice-reintegration support — coordinated from an on-site office rather than left for Veterans to arrange alone.
The forest is part of the design. The site sits surrounded by trees — a quiet, natural setting increasingly recognized as a genuine complement to clinical and peer support, giving residents room for reflection, healing, and stability at their own pace.
03 - Life Here
More than a roof
A separate on-site office coordinates the support that makes stable housing last — kept physically distinct from residents' private living space.
Peer support
Including Indigenous-led peer support, connecting residents with others who understand the path from service to homelessness to stability.
Workforce skills
Employment and skills training to help Veterans build the experience and confidence to re-enter civilian work.
Justice reintegration
Dedicated support for Veterans transitioning from incarceration, addressing a documented driver of Veteran homelessness.
Affordable, self-sustaining rent
Debt-free land and cabins mean rent can stay well below market — and many residents can apply Ontario Works, ODSP, or other subsidies directly toward it.
Room for the wider community
Veterans always hold first priority. If capacity allows, the program may extend to other homeless individuals locally, rather than leave units empty.
04 - Why It Works
Housing costs less than the alternative
Stable housing isn't just the humane option — it's consistently the cheaper one, for the person and for the public purse.
$114,587
Average annual cost of a federal inmate — vs. $18,058/yr to supervise someone in the community
$8.27
Saved for every $10 invested in Housing First services for high-need participants, per Canada's At Home/Chez Soi trial
Shelter bed, per month
$ 1,932.00
Provincial jail bed, per month
$ 4,333.00
Hospital bed, per month
$ 10,900.00
Supported Housing
FAR LESS
05 - Partners
Built alongside the community, not apart from it
Referral pathways and cultural-safety guidance are being formalized well before the first cabin is finished.