London city council has voted in approval of all homeless hub locations, including the controversial 705 Fanshawe Park Road West site.
During the September 25 strategic priorities and policy committee (SPPC) meeting, council held a preliminary vote, which resulted in members voting 9-6 in favour of endorsing three of the proposed locations.
At Thursday's special meeting, council went into closed session before returning for public debate and voting of each location. Each location was separately voted on and subsequently approved.
The creation of the hubs aims to get people off the streets by providing those who are acutely at risk with a number of supports requiring staff with a high level of expertise to help deliver transformative change.
“I think we’re at a unique and unprecedented moment in our city’s history,” Mayor Josh Morgan said to council. “We have the opportunity to save lives and change lives.”
Ward 1 Councillor Hadleigh McAlister opened up discussion by laying out his reasoning behind his support of the hub locations, while speaking out towards those who have pushed back.
“I’ve had calls and emails from Londoners using terminology which dehumanizes and criminalizes, not only the homeless population, but other parts of the city,” McAlister said.
“Furthermore, we need to stop portraying this as a downtown or east end problem. We are all Londoners, and when times are tough we need to pull together and support one another… Stop the division, and stop using ‘us versus them’ rhetoric.”
Later on, Ward 4 Councillor Susan Stevenson, who has been subject of contentious debate in recent weeks due to her opinions on how she believes homeless population in London should be handled, expressed she would be against the endorsed hubs during Thursday’s vote. Instead, she pushed for a referral of another month to allow for more discussion before making a choice.
“So much is counting on [this decision]. So many people. It’s not just our unhoused, it’s our housed, it’s everyone. Everyone is feeling this right now.” said Stevenson. “Let's not rush it, let’s not minimize people’s concerns.”
Stevenson’s motion for a referral led Ward 6 Councillor Sam Trosow to challenge the suggestion of a delay, defending the community’s and city staff’s work in putting together the implementation plan for the hubs.
“I think it’s really a slap in the face. And quite frankly, nothing’s gonna change from what I can see,” said Trosow. “I think we would be sending out a very bad signal to our potential partners here, particularly those who might want to come in and join us in the next round of RFPs (request for proposals).”
Council subsequently turned down Stevenson’s proposed referral 10-4, with councillors Peter Cuddy, Jerry Pribil and Paul Van Meerbergen in support.
Ward 7 Councillor Corrine Rahman, whose ward includes the 705 Fanshawe Park Road West hub location, implored her colleagues to not support the request for proposal for the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).
After voting, the homeless hub for 705 Fanshawe Park Road West was approved 9-5 with Rahman, Pribil, Van Meerbergen, Cuddy and Stevenson in opposition.
Atlosha’s RFP was approved 11-3 with Cuddy, Van Meerbergen and Stevenson opposed, while the RFP for Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) was passed 10-4 with the same three turning it down, along with Councillor Pribil.
Ward 14 Councillor Steve Hillier did not take part in voting as he was away on bereavement.
The YOU hub will be in two locations:
329 Richmond Street, near York Street, at their main building.
The London Health Sciences Centre campus at 800 Commissioners Road near Wellington Road in Building 16.
The proposed yearly cost for that hub is $1,317,500 in year one and $1,983,800 in year two. It will include six respite beds at the Richmond location and 9 transitional beds at the LHSC-based hub.
Atlohsa's hub will be located near Parkwood Hospital in Building J at 550 Wellington Road. It will carry a yearly cost of $2,118,146. The Indigenous-focused hub will include 18 transitional and 10 respite beds. This hub is anticipated to open first, sometime in December.
The hubs operated by CMHA will cost $1,425,562 per year. There will be 10 respite beds at the My Sister's Place includes a hub at My Sister's Place at 556 Dundas Street location, while the Fanshawe Park Road hub will have 20 transitional beds.
The capital costs for these projects will be money from the Fund for Change, which started with a $25 million anonymous donation.
-With files from Craig Needles
