The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce represents nearly 800 Member companies across the city and region. In recent weeks, we have been in contact with dozens of our Members located in the industrial/commercial area along the Central Avenue corridor who have expressed their concerns regarding the July 21, 2025 decision by City Council to locate a temporary shelter village at 114 Hillyard Street.
This decision was made without prior consultation with the surrounding business community. In response, the Chamber immediately began fielding calls from affected Members and on July 22, reached out to City Administration to ask for additional information and offer our assistance in coordinating a stakeholder engagement session.
On August 7, the City and the Chamber hosted an information session attended by over 50 business representatives. During the nearly 2-hour discussion, participants voiced a wide range of concerns, including:
- lack of prior consultation and transparency
- ignoring evidence-based advice regarding site selection criteria
- zoning and land-use incompatibility
- environmental and safety risks
- absence of sidewalk infrastructure
- limited access to essential services
- financial plan, and
- lack of financial support for enhanced security measures for impacted businesses.
We respectfully urge City Council to engage directly with affected business stakeholders and to address the serious concerns raised regarding the suitability of the Hillyard Street location. A collaborative, transparent approach is essential to ensure that any solution to homelessness is both compassionate and compatible with the long-term economic health and safety of our community.