Purpose
Bethlehem Housing and Support Services, in partnership with the community, provides affordable housing and services to support the personal growth of individuals and families.
Stable affordable housing with support services contributing to a vibrant, caring and inclusive Niagara where everyone has a home.
Our Impact
The impact we have on our clients is life-changing.
Through both our housing and supports in combination, BHSS provides a path forward, stability and a future for people and families that otherwise face insurmountable challenges related to mental health, addiction, housing insecurity and homelessness.
 Through our three facilities in St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, BHSS houses 280 households. |  The Transitional Housing support program has consistently accomplished a 100% success rate to keep our clients housed after they leave a BHSS housing unit. |  With no government funding for providing permanent housing support services, we achieve a 98% rate at keeping people housed over the long term through a successful eviction prevention service model. |
The Challenge
The Niagara Regional Housing waitlist has 11,000 households.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic homelessness has increased, encampments have become commonplace and the severity of mental health and addiction has escalated.
Housing prices in Ontario have climbed over 60 percent since 2020 and the cost of residential construction has increased by over 50 percent. Persistently high interest rates too mean BHSS’s traditional approach to housing development is no longer viable.
Recognizing these realities, BHSS understands that the path forward cannot be navigated alone.
Our Vision
A coordinated, scalable and sustainable housing system for Niagara.
We envision a housing system built on coordination, shared responsibility and collective action. BHSS will lead as a catalyst and facilitator, fostering partnerships and strategies that align resources, amplify impact and deliver more sustainable housing solutions.
Central to this vision is BHSS’s support for the Community Land Trust of Niagara, unlocking land, facilitating partnerships, expanding development capacity and securing permanent housing affordability.
Our Values
Transformational Directions
1. Financial Sustainability and Stewardship
Strategically manage and leverage resources to build lasting financial strength and operational excellence
Objective: We will strengthen our financial position through strategic asset planning, innovative financing approaches, and expanded social enterprise activities, establishing BHSS as a model for sustainable growth and financial resilience.2. Client Sustainability and Success
Establish clear and sustainable frameworks to effectively deliver housing and supportive servicesObjective: We will develop and implement clear, data-informed policies that define service eligibility, quantify support costs and align resources effectively, enabling sustainable client outcomes and informed decision-making.
3. Collaborative Strategic Partnerships
Facilitate unified strategies, shared investments and collective advocacy to enhance housing outcomesObjective: We will lead and facilitate coordinated partnerships within Niagara’s housing sector, using the Community Land Trust of Niagara as a platform for collaboration, resource-sharing and joint advocacy. BHSS will prioritize partnerships for all future housing developments, focusing its role on service delivery rather than sole property development or ownership.
4. Awareness, Impact, Leadership and Human Resources
Enhance BHSS’s visibility, strengthen leadership and build capacity to influence sector-wide changeObjective: BHSS will reposition itself publicly and strategically to clearly communicate its secular identity, leadership role and innovative practices within the housing sector, while strengthening internal leadership capacity.
5. Scaling Housing Impact
Expand and innovate housing solutions responsibly through disciplined planning and strategic collaborationObjective: BHSS will responsibly scale housing solutions through disciplined planning, strategic partnerships and pilot innovations, positioning itself as a catalyst for sustainable housing impact across Niagara.
Call To Action
The housing challenges facing the region of Niagara today demand new approaches, innovative solutions and unprecedented cooperation. This plan provides the roadmap for Bethlehem Housing and Support Services to help lead the necessary transformation, one that will strengthen the organization while simultaneously enhancing the capacity of the entire housing sector to meet community needs.
… Because transformational change cannot happen in isolation.
Bethlehem Housing and Support Services is committed to help lead the way forward together.
>>> Click here to view or download our Transformational Plan <<<