City staff are seeing early signs of success on a proposal to extend a program that offered space to those experiencing homelessness during the winter months in London, Ont.
The Winter Response Program for Unsheltered Individuals was launched late last year and sought to respond to reduced capacity among shelters and other spaces brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, city staff brought forward a proposal to extend a portion of the program until the end of June during a meeting of the community and protective services committee.
The program saw a number of pop-up shelters in different parts of London offer space to those experiencing homelessness.
In its proposal, city staff reported that day spaces offered by the shelters served more than 5,500 people in total, with daily visits averaging in the dozens.
Overnight spaces supported 75 people throughout the duration of the program. Of those people, 23 were matched to housing support programs, another 23 are in consideration for housing units in April and five have been housed.
City staff propose having the day space offered at Hamilton Road Seniors Centre extended until the end of June.
Staff also want to close a pop-up overnight shelter at 652 Elizabeth St., with focus shifted to the overnight space at 415 York St. until the end of June.
Ward 13 Coun. Arielle Kayabaga took the proposal a step further and motioned to have city staff explore how London can extend the program’s work beyond June 30.
“In our bold steps to try and decrease homelessness in our city and also getting ready (for) what we’re going to be facing post-COVID, I think that it’s imperative that we do take different actions to try and continue to house people,” Kayabaga said.
The proposal earned a warm reception from councillors on the community and protective services committee, with Ward 4 councillor and committee chair Jesse Helmer praising the program’s work.
“I know it was expensive, it cost a lot of resources, I know it was really difficult for everybody, and I don’t think it’s sustainable to do this over and over again… but I do think it has shown us that there are some things that can be done differently.”
The proposal and Kayabaga’s motion earned unanimous support from the committee.
Full city council will have the final say when it meets on May 4.
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