Committee backs floating more funds to The Ark’s winter homeless shelter

Ark Aid Street Mission on Dundas Street in London, Ont., as seen on September 6, 2023. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

A council committee has acknowledged a need to temporarily fund the current level of frontline services until London’s Whole of Community Response to Homelessness is fully up and operating.

On Thursday, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) considered a proposal by Ark Aid Street Mission to transform its winter response to homelessness into a year-round frontline service until March 31, 2027.

In a report, city staff recommended extending the services for a total of $360,000 a month at Cronyn Warner (432 William St.) and The Ark (696 Dundas St.)

 

Here’s what Ark Aid Street Mission would provide

• 24/7 Assessment and Referral Services (696 Dundas St.)
• 40 rotational drop-in spaces
• 30 resting spaces for temporary overnight stays
• Stabilization Transitional Beds (432 William St.)
• 60 beds supporting individuals unable to access shelter spaces

Executive Director Sarah Campbell explained that operating year-round avoids the high cost of ramping up and winding down service each winter.

She emphasized the importance of not letting the current funding extension expire July 31.

“This past week, we had a young woman who is 20 years old that had been trafficked. She didn't have a cell phone. She had a diagnosis of autism,” Campbell told the committee. “She was at the front doors of Ark Aid Street Mission because that is the open door in our community.”

Campbell said her staff reconnected the young woman with her family two days later.

Every council member on the committee was willing to provide additional funding — but the length of the extension sparked a marathon debate.

A motion by Coun. Susan Stevenson would have extended funding for two more months so that neighbourhood stakeholders could be consulted.

“A solution has been prepared, of which the Old East Village BIA and the Old East Village residents have not been part of, and there isn't an acknowledgment of the complete instability of their lives,” Stevenson said.

But her motion failed.

Instead, the committee supported using one-time funding to support the extension of services until Dec. 31.

Additional funding until the end of March 2027 will require approval of a business case during upcoming budget deliberations.

“That's half a percent on our property taxes,” Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis reminded colleagues. “The federal and provincial governments need to hear really clearly that come Dec. 31, there are this many beds in jeopardy of disappearing from our community because frankly, they have not stepped up to respond appropriately to the homelessness crisis.”

The committee voted (10-2, Stevenson and Lehman opposed) to recommend extending the funding until the end of this year, prepare a budget business case, and ask the mayor to lobby senior governments to provide funding.

After the meeting, Mayor Josh Morgan told CTV News, “We are [lobbying] through AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario), the Ontario Big City Mayors, and others. We know that homelessness services in general, which are a very wide variety of scope, require support of all three levels of government.”

Morgan calls the evolution and maturing of The Ark as an organization, “incredible.”

“I think they’re providing a great service that is minimizing impacts and helping a population that needs assistance,” he added.

Council will make a final decision on the five month funding extension on July 23.