Small Town Hotel Becomes Safe Haven in an Expensive World

In Little Current, Ontario, Canada, the owners of a local hotel have transformed their lodgings into affordable apartments for those struggling to make ends meet. Denise, "D" as she's lovingly called, was an employee of the Anchor Inn for over 15 years when she and her partner purchased the property in 2017. As housing and inflation spiked costs of living, Denise's hotel vision took a heartfelt turn. Bill, who worked his whole life, mostly as a custodian in apartment buildings, has a small pension that falls short of the rising cost of living. Bill calls Denise a sister. "I never thought I'd be in this position. I never thought a box of cereal was going to be ten dollars ... If it wasn't for Denise, I'd probably be living in a tent on the street." "I could charge $100 a night ... and get $3,000 a month for the apartments," Denise tells CBC News. "I'm not going to do that. If I can help people, I'm going to." Barry Hamilton, 77, who worked as a teacher and musician throughout his life, was a part-time bartender when his place became too expensive so he had to move. Denise turned a conference room into a room for him. "Anyone could be down on their luck at any given time," she explains. "Some people think this is crazy that I'm doing this. I'm not going to be remembered as leaving here a rich person, but I'll be remembered as helping these people, I hope."

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