Council forbids new resting spaces for homeless Londoners in shelters on main street of BIAs

New restrictions imposed by city council will reshape London’s upcoming response to homeless encampments.

On Tuesday, city council held a long and meandering debate about changes to the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness’ recommended plan to address encampments.

An amendment by Coun. Corrine Rahman directed civic administration and the mayor to engage with the senior levels of government to fund additional overnight spaces, rent supplements, and transactional encampment services for a two-year period from the new $250 million federal fund to address encampments.

Coun. Susan Stevenson, whose ward includes the Old East Village, brought forward an addition to the main motion.

“My intention is [that] no new funding go to resting spaces, day or overnight, on the main street of a Business Improvement Area (BIA),” Stevenson urged colleagues.

City staff could not confirm which roads would be considered the “main street” of larger BIAs like Downtown London.

Several councillors expressed support for the motion based on longstanding concerns from business owners within the special business districts.

But others worried about the cumulative of council’s decisions, including maintaining a 100-metre minimum setback from residential properties.

“We've been telling people they can't camp here, and they can’t sleep there, [and] these agencies can't use these buildings for these purposes,” argued Coun. Skylar Franke. “I'd really like to get to the point where we're telling people what they can do! We're eliminating a lot of opportunities for people to find shelter.”

A majority still backed Stevenson’s motion — noting that the restriction impacts future resting spaces funded from upcoming federal encampment funds received by the city.

“I am hopeful that we can give reassurance to our businesses in the Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) that we're going to prioritize their rights and concerns equally [to] our unhoused population,” Stevenson said.

The council decision does not impact shelter spaces already operating on the main street of BIAs, including Ark Aid Street Mission’s 30 resting spaces on Dundas Street.

The federal government has committed that municipalities will receive a share of the $250 million encampment fund by winter.