City says changes to housing homeless will diversify system
The City of London is defending the disruption caused by the new limit of 50 beds in homeless shelters.
The city funds 300 shelter beds in the city, currently about two thirds of the shelter beds are provided by two agencies.
But surveys of those who use them indicate that may not serve the needs of many who enter the shelter system.
Kevin Dickins, deputy city manager of Social and Health Development, said, “Input from users of the system that say large, institutional shelter facilities are not always safe, they’re not always welcoming, sometimes the lead to violence.”
Dickins says a housing plan established in 2019 laid out the need to move away from a dependency on emergency shelter beds.
“It sort of defeats the purpose of the emergency shelter stay when you’re there for a number of years.”
The request for proposals (RFP) based on the new approach to shelter services was launched in September, with the process set to close next week.
But the current large providers told CTV News London earlier this week that the process has left them scrambling.
Peter Rozeluk of Mission Services London said, “This is a new process and we’re figuring that out as we go along.”
Dickins believes everyone will be able to adjust to the new standard and that smaller shelters will also be able to help more people.
“There’s a need for us to be a little bit more diverse in what services look like in this community. Right now, if you’re an individual who has a pet, for example, there’s nowhere for you to go in an emergency shelter. If you’re in a relationship and have a partner, it’s next to impossible to find a space in an emergency shelter for you.”
And Dickins say the emphasis will be on providing supports and moving individuals to more sustainable living situations.
The new system is expected to take effect in April 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.