With demand high, Ark Aid works to shift shelter beds away from Dundas Street

As they deal with the added demand that comes with frigid temperatures, Ark Aid Street Mission staff are also working to move their overnight resting beds away from the business district of Dundas Street East. 

In November, London city council voted to not allow public funding to go toward overnight resting spaces for homeless people in locations on main streets in business improvement areas (BIAs).

The move was largely in response to concerns from residents and businesses in Old East Village, including some who feel too many of the city's services for homeless people are concentrated in their neighbourhood.

Ark Aid typically operates 30 overnight resting spaces at its 696 Dundas St. E. location. It also operates 60 more in the Cronyn Warner location at 432 William St., which is outside of the BIA.

Ark Aid executive director Sarah Campbell said she's working to transition the Dundas spaces to other locations, but said it's a tall task at a time when the temperature is falling and demand for warm spaces is going up.

"It's not been an easy time for our community or for the service providers," said Campbell. "[City council] approved the funding, they did not approve the location." 

Because the council decision is tied to funding, Campbell said some beds at the Dundas Street location will continue for now, but only using donated funds. The Ark has managed to raise about $350,000 of their December fundraising goal of $600,000. 

Campbell said she's working with city staff and other partners to find other locations for the overnight resting spaces. However, doing this bleeds staff time and money away from Ark Aid's core function of getting vulnerable people out of dangerously cold temperatures. 

"We're working with civic administration and partners in the city to ensure that we can provide that space," said Campbell.

Campbell said they've managed to find six transitional housing beds in other locations. Also she's shifted 10 of the Dundas Street overnight resting spaces to the Cronyn Warner site, which is outside the Dundas East BIA and not affected by the council decision. 

One of the sites she's looking at has more space than the Dundas location. However, any new shelter site brings the potential of push back from neighbours.

"We can find locations, but will we get the permissions to be there? Will we get the community buy-in to allow us to do our work?" said Campbell. 

Campbell expects a staff report will come to council at the end of January, spelling out next steps for Ark Aid. In the mean time, overnight drop-in resting spaces at the Dundas Street location will continue to operate, but not with public dollars. 

City council has approved Ark Aid's $4.2 million budget to operate its shelter services next year. It's unclear how much of that will be covered by $5 million in federal shelter money announced last month. That funding will be spread over the next two years.