A City of London committee voted against funding daytime drop-in spaces for a London homeless shelter.
On Monday, the Community and Protective Services Committee reviewed a request from the Ark Aid Mission for about $3.6 million in further funding. Of that amount, $3 million would be used to fund 70 overnight beds at Ark Aid’s Cronyn Warner location, and roughly $611,000 for daytime services like food, showers, and bathrooms. The committee approved the money for the overnight beds, but not the day-time services.
“I think it’s critically important that Londoners understand that this service not being funded means that there is no open door or place to send people,” said the shelter’s Executive Director Sarah Campbell. “When you see people in deep distress on the streets or looking for some basic needs, there really is only one location in our city to say that door is open.”
The shelter’s Dundas Street location has been a point of contention among the city. Last fall, neighbours even spoke out at a town hall against further funding. Councillor Susan Stevenson, who represents Ward Four where Ark Aid is located, said during the committee meeting Monday that no funding should be given—reminding her colleagues of a recent council policy.
“We had a…vote at council that said we would not fund resting spaces on the main street of a BIA,” she said.
The Ark is located on the main street of the Old East Village Business Improvement Area. But Campbell says finding a new location would not be easy.
“Finding a location, making sure it’s zoned correctly, making sure people have accessibility to that space, making sure if we are going to make the move that it actually serves people well and is large enough to accommodate more, given the context of what’s going on in the city right now.”
Campbell said she hopes the debate over funding continues when it goes before council, and that the CAPS Committee’s decision is not final, especially as the city continues to face a growing homelessness crisis.
“We have a real challenge on our hands. I don’t see it getting better,” she said. “Immediately though, I am grateful that our city has seen growth in supportive housing efforts…that’s something we should be hopeful for and continue to work towards for those long term solutions.”
