The program director for Eden East in Steinbach says there is a chronic shortage of housing for single adults who are recovering from mental illness. Bev Dyck addressed Steinbach city councillors last week to share about the work they are doing. She notes they currently operate two housing facilities in Steinbach; Penfeld Courts and Wilson Courts, each with 24 suites.

"Probably our longest waiting list is for single individuals needing one bedroom apartments mostly because Manitoba Housing doesn't provide subsidized housing doesn't provide

subsidized housing for them. They only do so for seniors and for families. So, for someone who is under 55 years of age and single, really, we're the only ones that can provide the subsidized housing at Wilson Courts and Penfeld. I don't have the numbers but I know we have a long wait list for the singles."

Dyck says there is a proposal in place for a another housing facility in Steinbach and they hope to move forward as soon as they are eligible to apply to Manitoba Housing for another project.

"We did, with a partnership here, have a proposal that we were going to submit to Manitoba Housing. Unfortunately, with the timing of it, we had to limit how many proposals we submitted and we had ones for Winkler and Morden as well as one for Winnipeg, and also didn't have the same infrastructure to support that here in Steinbach, so we put that one on the backburner for now. But it is still there and the person who owns the property is still waiting to work with us so hopefully, down the road, that is something that we can make happen."

Meanwhile, Dyck says their drop in centre along Loewen Boulevard is a busy place with an average of about 30 people who are regular participants.