In November 2023, the City of Cornwall enacted an interim control by-law (ICB) to temporarily pause the approval of new emergency shelters. This measure was introduced to provide space for a focused planning study that could address the lack of direction in the City’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law regarding shelter uses. The ICB created a one-year window to develop new policy and regulatory tools to guide the location, design, and development of emergency shelters in the city.

This planning study is composed of three core parts: a background analysis of local conditions, policy gaps, and approaches in other Canadian municipalities; a consultation program with local service providers, stakeholders, and the public; and a set of proposed updates to Cornwall’s Official Plan and Zoning By-law.

The study does not attempt to solve homelessness as a broader issue. Instead, it focuses on equipping the City with the planning tools needed to support shelter development through clear policy direction and land use regulation. The recommendations aim to ensure that emergency shelters are planned and integrated into the city using best practices, balancing the urgent need for services with thoughtful, long-term planning.