The WTC centre opened on 2 February 2026 as part of the ‘Extreme Cold’ plan and was subsequently extended twice. Its capacity was increased from 100 to 130 places in May. According to the Samusocial, 5.143 single men were accommodated by the organisation since the opening of the WTC, including 3.813 at the WTC centre. Over the same period, the organisation reports having been unable to accommodate 18.624 single men out of 39.202 requests.

Following the closure, the Samusocial's remaining 240 places for single men are distributed between the Poincaré centre in Anderlecht (200 places) and a centre for minors in transit in Molenbeek (40 places). The Samusocial links the loss of the 130 WTC places to the discontinuation of federal funding for places under the Brussels Deal, announced by Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt in July. The closure is also accompanied by changes to the organisation's admission arrangements: according to Bruss'help, the Samusocial will no longer admit single men after 22:00.

In its statement announcing the closure, the Samusocial describes its remaining accommodation capacity as historically low and considers it insufficient in view of the continuing demand for emergency accommodation. It also points to the increased exposure of people without accommodation to the risks associated with cold weather and life on the streets. The closure also has consequences for the staff working at the WTC centre: 25 of the 33 employees are affected by the termination of their contracts, according to the Samusocial.

For further information, see the Samusocial's press release (available in French and Dutch).