A 16-unit tiny shelter village in Downtown Hamilton is constructed and ready to provide temporary housing for up to 13 unhoused people recently discharged from area hospitals.
The Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS) has completed construction at 205 Cannon Street East, a block west of Wellington Street, and is now awaiting a zoning amendment by minor variance.
If zoning variances are approved, the community will be able to welcome its first residents this spring.
Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment is scheduled to decide on the requested zoning variances at 11:25 a.m. on April 2, 2026.
HATS Partnering with The Hub, Focused on Discharged Hospital Patients
Documents included in the zoning minor variance application state HATS has pivoted to operating as a “short stay respite pilot program” focused on reducing burdens on hospital beds by providing short-term housing for medically discharged unhoused patients.
The HUB will manage operations, with HATS focused on providing site maintenance.
The site will house up to 13 people at a time, with clients permitted a stay of a maximum of 3–6 months to allow for healing.
“By removing the acute threat of medical relapse and providing a safe, clean, and non-judgemental environment for up to 3–6 months, the program moves the client out of survival mode and into a state where they can genuinely consider the next stage of their life,” HUB Executive Director Jen Bonner writes in her submission to the City, stating the HATS site “ends the practice of forcing a medically fragile person to recover from major surgery, severe burns, or critical illness on the street or in an unsuitable general shelter environment. It provides a private, heated/cooled unit where they can heal with dignity.”
Following this time period, the documents state clients will be discharged to either transitional housing, family reunification, a HART Hub, or the emergency shelter system.
The cost comparison shows the program “converts high-cost crisis care to low-cost managed care.” Bonner notes it costs $1,200 to $1,500 per day for someone to be placed in an acute care bed, and $500 to $1,000 per emergency department visit.
Five Years of Opposition to HATS Locations
The completion of the Cannon Street site marks the end of a five-year odyssey defined by false starts, site-selection frustrations, and repeated cancellations in the face of neighbourhood opposition to previously selected locations.
First proposed in 2021 as a grassroots response to the clearing of encampments during the COVID-19 pandemic, HATS initially struggled to secure City Hall’s endorsement.
The project’s history is a map of “almosts”: an initial proposal for the 141 Bay Street North parking lot was scrapped following neighbourhood concerns; a subsequent plan for the former Sir John A. Macdonald school property fell through; and a highly publicized 2023 plan for the Strachan Street location was abandoned following fierce neighbourhood and business community opposition. A proposal for 647 Barton Street East was also discarded following neighbourhood opposition.
Early 2021 – HATS was formed with the goal of creating a “cabin community” similar to models in Kitchener and London. Early interest centred on the 141 Bay Street North parking lot, but the proposal stalled due to a lack of municipal framework for tiny homes.
April 2022 – HATS holds a public information session at the Anglican Cathedral outlining their vision to address homelessness.
Mid-2022 – HATS presented a list of five potential locations to City of Hamilton staff. The Sir John A. Macdonald school property was HATS’ preferred option, but is quickly deemed not feasible. The other locations were: Cathedral Park (Ward 1, King Street West), the former Dominion Glass property Gage Avenue North / Lloyd Street area (Ward 3, City owned), Barton-Tiffany Lands (Ward 2), and Scout House on James Mountain Road (Ward 2). The other locations would be revisited multiple times, but each time the City determined they were not appropriate.
December 2022 / January 2023 – 647 Barton Street East is secured as a possible site. However, it is eventually ruled out due to community opposition.
August 14, 2023 – City Council’s General Issues Committee approved implementing a two-year HATS pilot on city-owned land at Strachan Linear Park. There is fierce community opposition, and labour union LiUNA comes to the forefront in opposition because the planned HATS village is across the CN railway from LiUNA’s banquet centre.
September 12, 2023 – A public consultation meeting at the Bennetto Recreation Centre was abruptly cancelled after overcrowding caused safety concerns and unruly behaviour by a few individuals.
October 20, 2023 – Following the fallout from the public meeting and citing prohibitive site preparation costs, HATS officially abandoned the Strachan location, saying they will search for a new location.
2024 – After several other proposed locations failed to gain traction due to zoning or industrial conflicts, HATS shifted its strategy toward securing private land.
2025 – HATS secured the current location on Cannon Street East.
With construction complete at 205 Cannon, HATS has successfully transitioned from a conceptual model to a physical reality.
However, while the physical structures are complete, the ability of HATS and The Hub to begin accepting resident patients hinges entirely on the April 2 decision. If the Committee of Adjustment grants the requested variances, the five-year search for a HATS location will officially conclude and the new community can welcome its first residents this spring.
Committee of Adjustment meetings are open to the public and held at Hamilton City Hall. Anyone can delegate to the committee, either in-person or by video conference. Written submissions and delegation requests can be filed by email: cofa@hamilton.ca. Emails should reference the file number: A-26:048 205 Cannon Street East, Hamilton (Ward 2).
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Published: March 16, 2026
Last updated: March 16, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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