London's winter response to homelessness plan endorsed by council

With the winter season fast approaching, city councillors gave the green light on Tuesday to the city's plan to help London's most vulnerable through the colder months.

The plan, dubbed the community cold weather response, will see the city pay $2.16 million to six local agencies to provide day and overnight drop-in services and outreach programs into the spring.

Two of the agencies involved, Ark Aid Street Mission and CMHA London Coffee House, began offering day drop-in services in early October, according to a revised staff report that went before politicians.

The other four agencies involved – 519Pursuit, London Cares, Safe Space London and The Salvation Army Centre of Hope – will begin offering services in December.

The drop-in services include basic needs help, laundry, showers and washrooms.

The winter services will replace service depots that have operated for 90 minutes per day at four locations along the Thames River since July, providing food, water, hygiene and garbage collections to those living rough.

The approved $2.16 million cost is a slight increase from the $1.9 million outlined in a report approved last week by the city's Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee.

During Tuesday's meeting, Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis explained that a clerical error in the previous report was to blame, as it had stated that Ark Aid and CMHA London Coffee House's day drop-in services wouldn't begin until December.

"It is that two month service gap that was identified in the initial report that was sent out which has changed the number," Lewis told council.

The funding will come through the existing housing stability service budget and the social services reserve fund, according to a report from city staff.

Ward 4 Councillor Susan Stevenson expressed disappointment that the plan contained no new 24/7 shelter services, and was the lone vote against proposed funding for Ark Aid, CMHA London Coffee House and Safe Space London.

"What is needed is housing and overnight shelter. We seem to be committed to snacks, and meals, and come-in-warm-for-a-few-hours-and-use-the-bathroom. But where are they sleeping at night?" Stevenson said.

"My reasons are not that I think that these organizations aren't doing good things, but it's not enough. And to keep going along and saying that somehow this is enough. I just can't."

More details on overnight beds, including physical space, the number of beds and the lead organizations involved, will be outlined in a report at next month's Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee meeting, said Kevin Dickins, deputy manager of social health and development.