THUNDER BAY — The city's shelter village may not be built at the Hillyard site after all.
A motion to rescind the decision to build the facility near the Carrick Street dog park is on the agenda for council's next meeting on Tuesday.
The notice of motion from Red River ward Coun. Michael Zussino recommends suspending the rules that prevent council from introducing a motion and voting on it in the same meeting.
It then asks council to consider rescinding the Hillyard site decision in its entirety.
Lastly, council will be asked to refer the motion back to administration to review alternate locations for the shelter village and seek $2.8 million in additional funding for the project.
The city is at risk of losing $2.8 million in provincial funding if it cannot satisfy funder requirements.
In early July, when the Miles Street site was under consideration, the city's encampment response plan lead, Rilee Willianen, told Newswatch the project completion date required by the province was March 31, 2026, with a requirement that all the units be installed by Feb. 27 and that 40 units be constructed by Dec. 15 2025.
Zussino's motion also asks to exclude Hillyard from the list of alternatives, as well as the Miles Street, Cumberland Street and Kam River Heritage Park sites council has already considered and rejected.
Council's July 21 decision to build the village at the intercity-area location was hotly contested both in council and subsequently by nearby businesses due to a lack of public consultation about the specific location.
If Zussino's motion passes it will be the second time council has rescinded its choice of location for the site after the previously approved and ratified decision to build the temporary shelter village at the Kam River Heritage Park was taken back because it had apparently became cost-prohibitive to "satisfy external partners."
City administration declined to comment saying the motion is a council matter.
Zussino is not commenting at this time but committed to speaking with Newswatch on Thursday.
This story has been updated with additional context.
