‘This will be lifesaving,’ homeless advocate pleased with solutions that ended a four-day hunger strike
A four-day hunger strike intended to draw attention to the growing need to help the homeless population in London, Ont. has come to an end.
On Friday evening, the Forgotten 519 Coalition, local agencies, and the city came to a consensus after several hour-long meetings.
Dan Oudshoorn, an outreach worker was camped outside London city hall since Tuesday morning when he began his hunger strike, in support of the Forgotten 519 coalition.
“I appreciate all that hard work that people did to produce the outcome we came to,” Oudshoorn said.
“A lot of folks going by would say I was thinking about you in the rain last night and in the heat. I was there for four days but so many other folks are there day after day and night after night so it’s a sobering reminder as to what other folks are going to.”
The parties agreed on taking immediate action to address the current issues that homeless people are facing. The city agreed to provide water and “food or acute needs” which will be funded by the city. They also plan to install shower stations for people living in encampments.
The locations of those have yet to be determined.
“We are grateful for the willingness of agencies from across the system to come together. The perspectives of frontline workers, who are seeing and experiencing first-hand the impacts of a system that is stretched and broken, are essential in this process,” said Kevin Dickins, the deputy city manager, social and health development with the City of London.
Through the sessions, both yesterday and today, we have identified steps we can take – at the city and across the system – to better support people who are experiencing homelessness, addictions, and episodic mental health challenges,”
According to the city’s ‘immediate action to support the city’s most marginalized’, these solutions will be put in place by the co-chair of the London homeless coalition and other agencies.
Their solution to provide 24/7 support will be discussed in another meeting on Aug. 16.
“There is immediacy in getting this plan in place ahead of the winter months that will rapidly come,” stated in the document.
Other projects that will be considered include a community hub, a unity, Atlohsa project, and a circle of support.
The city’s goal is to have a plan ready for these supports within four weeks.
In addition, they agreed to change when bylaw officers are needed in responding to people living in encampments.
The city agreed to only have officers involved if a frontline worker requests it.
“I think it’s a remarkable shift in priorities in how people are treated that will make an immediate lifesaving difference,” Oudshoorn said on Saturday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.