Back to SearchExpanded Ontario SPCA donation helps pets and their people stay warm this winter
“This partnership is a heartwarming example of how we can work together to make a difference. Thanks to the generous support of the Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre, individuals experiencing homelessness now have a safe place to come in from the cold with their pets this winter. It's a reminder that compassion doesn’t stop at people – it extends to our furry friends too. The Town of Wasaga Beach is proud to be a part of this effort to help ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are not forced to choose between their safety and the well-being of their pets.” ~ Brian Smith, Mayor, Town of Wasaga Beach
Wasaga Beach - An expanded partnership between the Town of Wasaga Beach, County of Simcoe and the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society will ensure that our most vulnerable citizens and their pets have access to safe, warm facilities during the winter months.
Through a generous donation from the Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre, individuals experiencing homelessness can now bring their pets to the Wasaga Beach Warming Centre. The donation includes essential supplies such as food, crates, dog jackets, and ongoing support throughout the winter season.
A true collaborative effort to support unhoused individuals, Faith Missionary Church is providing shelter and food, the Town of Wasaga Beach is donating cots, bedding and local public transit, and the County of Simcoe is providing financial support for warming centre operations.
The Wasaga Beach Warming Centre is located at the Faith Missionary Church, 1355 River Rd W, Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2W6.
Quick facts
- Launched on Monday, January 13, 2025, the new Wasaga Beach Warming Centre is a temperature-activated warming centre, operating up to seven nights per week, from 8:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. The warming centre is activated when temperatures are expected to fall below -10°C.
- While using County-funded warming centres, individuals can also access support to find shelter, housing, healthcare, and other services and supports. These services are part of a larger effort to help more individuals gain access social and wellness-related assistance and help them move to other levels of housing supports if they choose.
Additional quotes
"As part of its expanded partnership with the County of Simcoe, the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is once again helping unhoused people in Wasaga Beach keep their pets close while accessing critical support during the coldest months of the year. Animals provide crucial emotional support and motivation during difficult times, and this collaboration ensures that unhoused individuals can receive care without worrying about separating from their beloved pets." ~ Basil Clarke, Warden, County of Simcoe
“The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society wants to keep animals with the families who love them. By working together, we can help make that possible. We are very appreciative to everyone who has come together to make this pet-friendly warming centre a reality.” ~ Shannon Laflamme, Community Outreach Coordinator, Ontario SPCA Barrie Animal Centre
About the Town of Wasaga Beach
The Town of Wasaga Beach is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Ontario and Canada. We aim to be a place where people come to create memories that will last a lifetime. Collaborating with community groups and partnering with other levels of government to make life better for our most vulnerable citizens supports this vision and Council’s priorities: to build a more inclusive, caring and complete community. It’s part of the Town’s plan to become a place with thriving businesses and safe, inclusive and complete neighbourhoods – a place where people come together to celebrate the Town’s rich history, diversity of cultures and natural beauty, including the Nottawasaga River, Georgian Bay and the longest freshwater beach in the world.
About the County of Simcoe
County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.
About the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society
The Ontario SPCA and Humane Society is a registered charity that has been changing the lives of animals for over 150 years. The Society provides care, comfort and compassion to animals in need in communities across Ontario. It values all animals and advocates to treat them with respect and kindness. The Society strives to keep pets and families together and does so through a variety of community support services, such as sheltering and adoptions, including emergency sheltering, feral cat management programs, animal transfers, food distribution, humane education, animal advocacy, and spay/neuter services.
The Ontario SPCA does not receive annual government funding and relies on donations to provide programs and services to help animals in need. To learn more, or to donate, visit ontariospca.ca. Charitable Business # 88969-1044-RR0002.
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Media contacts
Sandra Watts
Director of Strategic Communications & Intergovernmental Affairs
Town of Wasaga Beach
sandra.watts@wasagabeach.com
Media Relations Ontario SPCA, Provincial Office
1-888-668-7722 ext. 375
media@ontariospca.ca
Collin Matanowitsch
Manager, Public Relations
County of Simcoe, Service Simcoe Department
705-734-8386 (mobile) Collin.Matanowitsch@simcoe.ca
Photo caption: SPCA staff delivers essential supplies to the Wasaga Beach Warming Centre on February 28, 2025
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