Mayor uses AMO conference to lobby for funds to open more homeless hubs this year

London, Ont.’s goal to open three to five low-barrier service hubs before the end of this year may be riding on closed door meetings underway this week between municipal and provincial leaders.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) is holding its annual conference at the RBC Place Convention Centre.

London’s Whole of Community Response to Homelessness is a quarter-billion dollar strategy to address homelessness in London by creating up to 15 low-barrier service hubs (three to five this year) and 600 supportive housing units (100 this year).

However, according to information provided last week to agencies bidding to operate the first hubs, there is only enough municipal funding to open two before the end of 2023.

“Currently, there is no source of funds identified to address the operating funding gap,” responded city staff to a written inquiry from an agency participating in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process. “The city’s operating funding may be stretched to support one additional Hub location.”

Mayor Josh Morgan confirmed to CTV News that lobbying efforts during the AMO conference include provincial funding to operate additional hubs, “Yes, there are discussions and an ask with the provincial government is on the table for some operating dollars to bring the first full five online, rather than just two.”

On Monday, Premier Doug Ford’s speech to AMO members focussed on recent economic development and infrastructure investments.

Ford also announced a $1.2 billion Building Faster Fund that will financially reward municipalities that meet at least 80 per cent of their annual housing target as part of the province’s plan to create 1.5 million new homes.

“These are incredible sums of money that will reward municipalities for building homes, and help pay for important infrastructure and community building projects,” he told conference attendees.

The speech didn’t mention street level homelessness, even though the AMO conference has dedicated Wednesday’s agenda to the crisis.

Morgan said he met with the premier and other provincial representatives backstage after the speech, “I just had an individual meeting with the premier, the deputy premier, Minister (Steve) Clark, Minister (Michael) Tibollo, and MPP Rob Flack was there. We had a great talk about our Health and Homelessness work.”

He reported the lobbying effort has advanced to a direct discussion between staff at the city and the province.

“You make the pitch, you say what you need,” the mayor explained. “There were a lot of great questions. We answered them all. Now it’s a direct follow-up from staff to say if this is going to happen, what do you need?”

Morgan said he hasn't set a deadline to secure provincial funding to ensure the remaining three hubs can open before the end of this year.