As the city of London, Ont., continues to confront its growing unsheltered and homeless population issue, a short-term strategy to assist those in encampments with basic needs and supports was passed at committee Tuesday evening.
Entitled ‘Encampment Response,’ the plan offers three phases of approximately six weeks each that addresses the immediate needs of those in encampments while the long-term strategy is still ironed out.
The first phase will have four service depots near the Thames River that serve those in encampments.
Within the service depots, staff recommend offering seven basic needs for those in encampments. The services are safe and clean drinking water, hygiene and sanitation facilities, proper fire safety, waste management, social supports, resources for personal safety and resources that support food safety.
Both city staff and council members present for the discussion spoke multiple times at the immediacy of the needs required for those living in encampments.
“We have a short-term challenge that we need to tackle right now,” said Mayor Josh Morgan.
“Not one month from now, not two months from now, but a short-term challenge right now.”
Last month, homelessness response officials told Global News they were expecting a “rough summer,” with between 400 and 600 unhoused in London.
With violence and safety increasingly becoming a concern within encampments, city staff stressed to councillors Tuesday evening that the timing was critical to get the resources in the hand of front-line workers as soon as possible so that the mitigating stressors can be addressed.
“This is primarily focused on the rising risks and desperation that exists in encampments and is focused solely on the health and safety of those individuals in encampments,” said Kevin Dickins, deputy city manager of social and health development.
The location of the four service depots are planned to be located at the following: Ann Street Park (west of Talbot Street, south of Oxford Street), Cavendish Park (between Riverside Drive and Thames River, west of Wharncliffe Road), Watson Street Park (south of the river, east of Wellington Street) and Wellington Valley Park (between Nelson Street and the river).
The Community and Protective Services committee, which heard the report from staff, passed the encampment response in a four-to-one vote, with Coun. Susan Stevenson the lone no vote.
Stevenson, who serves ward four, said she was not happy another temporary response was being brought forward without a public participation meeting.
“I am very concerned about the service depots and the urban depots and where they are going to go,” said Stevenson.
However, multiple councillors pushed back, including deputy mayor Shawn Lewis and Coun. Corrine Rahman, saying the issues within the encampments must be dealt with immediately and in a compassionate manner.
Further, Rahman said that if the basic needs are not offered, calls to other services like police could continue to rise.
“If it’s additional cost to other service, than we’re swapping one for the other,” said Rahman.
“And one gives people food, dignity, water and provides them with care where they are right now. And the other is unkind and inhumane.”
The vote of the committee will still need to be ratified by full council on June 27.
As part of the long-term strategy to address encampments and the overall health and homelessness strategy, the city is hosting five drop-in sessions this month for residents to voice their opinions and ask questions.
Two sessions will be held on Wednesday, June 14, both running from 7 to 8 p.m. One is at the Canada Games Aquatic Centre at 1045 Wonderland Rd. with the second at the South London Community Centre at 1119 Jalna Blvd.
Two more sessions will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 15, at the Byron Optimist Community Centre, located at 1308 Norman Ave., and the East Lions Community Centre at 1731 Churchill Ave.
The fifth session will be on Monday, June 26, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kiwanis Seniors’ Community Centre at 78 Riverside Dr.
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