Council stops short of declaring state of emergency on housing in London, Ont.
Council stops short of declaring state of emergency on housing in London, Ont.
Dozens of Londoners were outside city hall in London, Ont. on March 28, 2023 calling for a state of emergency on housing. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)
“It’s not enough,” Jeff Hanks shouted through a megaphone.
The words of the rally’s co-organizer were echoed by about 50 people who gathered on the steps of city hall on Tuesday afternoon.
Many said they are experiencing housing instability or homelessness.
The London Regional Social Forum and tenants advocacy group Acorn London called on city council to declare a state of emergency related to housing so that, “the province and federal governments can be alerted to act urgently to mitigate this crisis.”
They also asked for a political commitment that one-third of the 47,000 new homes that will be constructed in London by 2031 be affordable housing.
Speakers expressed alarm about the 200 deaths among homeless Londoners over the last two years.
Hanks added that the recently announced the Community Response to Homelessness initiative won’t be enough to solve the homelessness crisis on London streets.
“The [shelter] hubs and 24-hour service is a good start, but we should be giving people housing,” Hanks continued.
The Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee heard from both organizations during its meeting — but stopped short of formally declaring a state of emergency after hearing from Civic Administration.
“We are not aware of any advantage to access resources either provincially or federally by declaring a state of emergency,” City Manager Lynne Livingstone explained.
She added that the city’s Emergency Management Plan is not designed to address a long-term crisis like housing, and told CTV News London, “What’s needed is the kind of strategies that this council has supported in terms of long-term sustainable solutions.”
Dozens of Londoners were outside city hall in London, Ont. on March 28, 2023 calling for a state of emergency on housing. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)“We aren’t moving fast enough,” Coun. Skylar Franke told council colleagues before putting forward a motion.
While it did not formally declare a state of emergency, the motion “recognizes that there is an untenable emergency in our community, and communities across the country, related to housing and homelessness.”
Council committed to undertake its existing plan of action including:
$2.8 million for the Community Response to Homelessness
Advocating for more federal and provincial funding
Roadmap to 3,000 affordable homes by 2026
Housing pledge of 47,000 new homes in a decade
Working and funding non-profits in the sector
Other opportunities to find housing and homelessness solutions
The motion was supported unanimously (14-0).
Several Londoners experiencing homelessness were optimistic about the outcome of the meeting, but organizers had hoped for more.
“A little bit disappointed,” admitted Hanks after the meeting. “I do understand council and where they are. It’s too bad that our state of emergency [policy] isn’t flexible enough to accommodate different needs.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is pushing for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside' from his role examining the issue of foreign interference before he embarks on public hearings.
New Democrat MP Jenny Kwan said Monday that Canada's spy agency has confirmed her long-held belief she is being targeted by the Chinese government, as the prime minister granted the NDP's wish to allow more party members to review top-secret intelligence.
William Karlsson, William Carrier and Jonathan Marchessault are finally getting another chance in the Stanley Cup Final, after the first one that came so quick for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Eastern Conference finals Most Valuable Player Jimmy Butler scored 28 points, and Caleb Martin had 26 points and 10 rebounds to help the eighth-seeded Miami Heat beat the Celtics 103-84 in Game 7 on Monday night and advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in four seasons.
Canadian political leaders and parliamentarians are denouncing a new law passed in Uganda that imposes harsh penalties, including the death penalty, for certain cases involving homosexuality.
There's a heightened risk of wildfires across the country during what has been one of the earliest fire seasons on record. From British Columbia to Nova Scotia, here's where the risk is highest.
New research from Penn State University found certain factors can contribute to reducing what’s known as the 'urban heat island' effect, and that climate knowledge can contribute to better city planning and design.
The rural Oxford County intersection where an OPP officer and a school bus driver were killed Monday was less than a month away from becoming a four-way stop when the deadly crash happened.
It was a night of indecision at Waterloo region's catholic school board as trustees went back and forth trying to find the best approach to fill a vacant seat.
Windsor city council voted Monday in favour of adopting a master plan with high hopes for City Hall Square and a so-called civic esplanade stretching down to the river
A united front was on full display Monday as community leaders, politicians, business people, unions and educators gathered together at Windsor City Hall to ensure the NextStar Energy battery plant deal gets closed.
Doctors in their final year of training, called residency, can choose to do a one-month rotation at the Shelter Health Initiative (SHI) caring for Windsor’s homeless population.
The body of a Winnipeg boy who fell into Sturgeon Falls on Saturday has been found following a desperate underwater search that lasted more than a day.
It's the end of an era for one sporting goods store at Bank Street and Laurier Avenue. The owner says a lack of foot traffic downtown is behind the decision to close a store that's been operating for 41 years.
The Sandy Hill Child Care Centre has an extra two weeks to get its new home up to code months after a fire destroyed its original site on Wilbrod Street.
The union representing the majority of Quebec's daycare workers is criticizing the government's decision to launch a skimpy 90-hour training program for people who want to be daycare workers but have no prior experience.
A Quebec driver who caused the death of another motorist when he swerved his truck to avoid hitting a family of ducks on the road has been sentenced to eight months in jail and a three-year driving ban.
A Winnipeg family is asking for help to find their missing teenage son whom they haven't seen since he left for school in the Fort Richmond area last Wednesday morning.
The body of a Winnipeg boy who fell into Sturgeon Falls on Saturday has been found following a desperate underwater search that lasted more than a day.
One long-time electoral tradition came to an end on election day, when Postmedia announced there would be no printed newspaper announcing the winner in Calgary.
Over 170,000 elementary and high school students weighed in on the Alberta election and the NDP had to hope the real voters were listening, because they won the kids' vote.
On Monday, Fraser Health provided two senior leaders to address the latest letter outlining risks to patients, allegations of muzzling, and pleas for help from emergency physicians in the health authority's hospitals.
The president of the BC Trucking Association is issuing renewed calls for safety after a trailer truck smashed into an overhead pass Monday morning in Langley.
Dozens of Londoners were outside city hall in London, Ont. on March 28, 2023 calling for a state of emergency on housing. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)
Dozens of Londoners were outside city hall in London, Ont. on March 28, 2023 calling for a state of emergency on housing. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)“We aren’t moving fast enough,” Coun. Skylar Franke told council colleagues before putting forward a motion.
