When Dr. Carolyn Snider arrives for her early morning emergency room shifts, she regularly sees between five and 10 people in the waiting area who don’t need medical attention— just a safe place to stay warm. “[They’re] truly there to just stay out of […]
Category: Poverty
Developmentally Disabled People Are Being Pushed into Homelessness – The Tyee [2023-11-28]
Just before the summer started, Jon Harry was told he’d have to leave his room at a Duncan motel because the owner planned to renovate. ANNOUNCEMENTS, EVENTS & MORE FROM TYEE AND SELECT PARTNERSThe Tyee Is 20. So We’re Partying by Debating the Fate […]
Libraries and Homelessness: Libraries provide more than just books – Psychology Today [2023-11-11]
Yesterday, at a community homelessness resource and health fair where I was a faculty preceptor for a footcare clinic with some of our medical and nursing students, I was reminded of the powerful role of libraries in the lives of people experiencing homelessness. Among […]
SafeSpace London’s landlord has message for property owners considering homeless shelters as tenants – CTV News [2023-11-01]
“Do it. This will help us find a longterm solution [to homelessness],” urged Rashad Ayyash when asked what he would tell other property owners considering homeless shelters or frontline agencies as tenants. Ayyash and his business partners are proud to be landlords for SafeSpace […]
Housing first: The case for social prescribing of housing in emergency departments – Healthy Debate [2023-10-03]
The past decade in Canada has seen a material escalation in visible homelessness. With a highly financialized housing market driving housing unaffordability and escalating inflation putting pressure on mortgages, rents and food, the crisis of homelessness has continued to worsen. This has resulted in […]
New apartments opening for homeless people with ‘complex health needs’ – CBC News [2023-10-11]
People who have nowhere to live and are dealing with complex health needs will now have 25 supportive housing units where they stay so they don’t end up on the street. The London Health Sciences Centre and London Cares have partnered to offer the […]
Ontarians on social supports ‘worse off’ than before pandemic, study suggests – Global News [2023-09-20]
Some Ontario researchers say residents in the province who were already among the poorest and most vulnerable prior to COVID-19 are now worse off than they were before. A new report McMaster University’s political science and labour studies department is highlighting how things are […]
Oxford County commits to eliminating homelessness – CTV News [2023-09-18]
While communities across the province deal with homelessness, Oxford County has formally committed to making sure all of its population has a roof over their heads. County council has approved a new three-year strategic plan which includes a goal of 100 per cent housed, […]
Agencies urge city for continued security at outreach spaces facing escalating violence – CBC News [2023-09-14]
A number of agencies offering services to those experiencing homelessness in London, Ont., are urging city council to continue funding security at two key downtown outreach and resting spaces. In July, council approved $200,000 out of a request for $374,000 to go toward security […]
As Yellowknife reopens, work is being done to bring back the city’s homeless population – CBC News [2023-09-11]
As the re-entry to Yellowknife continues, work has been underway to track down and arrange for the return of the city’s homeless population. The last homelessness count in the city found there were approximately 300 people who identified as homeless, of which roughly 100 […]
How more homeless encampments in Ontario signal a housing crisis out of control – Global News [2023-09-09]
Homeless encampments have been multiplying across Ontario since the pandemic, but experts say this visible symptom of the national housing crisis has been a long time coming. With limited shelter space, a lack of social housing, increasing cost of home ownership and ballooning rents, […]
Just four organizations bid to operate London’s first homeless hubs – CTV News [2023-09-06]
Council’s options may be limited when they choose locations and lead agencies to operate the first low-barrier service hubs for Londoners experiencing homelessness. According to a publicly available list posted on city hall’s Bids and Tenders website, nine organizations participated in a Request for […]
Poor mental health, violence among threats to children in Canada: report – CTV News [2023-08-29]
Unintentional and preventable injuries, poor mental health and violence against children and youth have been identified as some of the top threats to children in Canada, according to a new report from Children First Canada. Released by the national charitable organization Tuesday, the sixth […]
Ontario cities watching as London rolls out first-of-its-kind homeless response – CBC News [2023-08-23]
Municipal leaders dedicated the final day of the Association of Ontario Municipalities (AMO) conference to discuss collaborative solutions to homelessness as a housing crisis continues across the province. AMO looked to its host London, along with Kingston — two cities that are taking the […]
Fail fast— make corrections— move forward: Mayor Morgan’s unvarnished take on rollout of homelessness strategy – CTV News [2023-08-23]
Some frank talk by London Mayor Josh Morgan may be aimed at managing community expectations for London’s upcoming Whole of Community Response to Homelessness ahead of a series of public meetings. On Wednesday, Morgan co-hosted a session in front of the Association of Municipalities […]
Sarnia, Ont. police delete tweet about woman’s shoplifting arrest following backlash – CTV News [2023-07-30]
Sarnia police have removed a Twitter post about a woman who was arrested for allegedly shoplifting food and cleaning supplies, acknowledging that it was “not in keeping” with their “internal and community expectations.” The tweet, which included a photo of the groceries in question, […]
Council endorses homeless hub plan, despite concerns about cost and capacity – CBC News [2023-07-24]
The City of London has moved a step closer to approving a multi-million dollar plan to open a series of neighbourhood service hubs intended to provide life-saving supports and pathways to housing for those suffering through an increasingly deadly homelessness crisis. The plan was […]
Kids who go hungry more likely to access care for mental health, substance use: Ontario study – CBC News [2023-07-24]
Toronto resident Rhonda Miller knows how difficult it can be to afford the basic necessities. The 52-year-old lives in an apartment with her daughter and two granddaughters, who are nine and six. Rising rent and food prices mean Miller has to sometimes choose between […]
‘This is an investment’: City staff justify London, Ont. homeless hubs plan – Global News [2023-07-19]
City councillors will debate the much-talked-about hub implementation plan to address London’s growing homelessness crisis in a special committee meeting next week. A 46-page report details the steps taken so far, including community engagement, and what immediate steps are needed next, including a request […]
St. Thomas police dismantle homeless camp, frustrating some outreach workers – CBC News [2023-07-19]
St. Thomas has dismantled a well-established encampment where people had set up tents and built make-shift shelters, angering outreach workers who say the people there have nowhere else to go. “What typically happens is they have to see if there’s room in the shelter […]
What you need to know about London’s proposed homeless hubs – CBC News [2023-07-18]
The much anticipated plan to help support the homeless population in London, Ont. will include 24/7 wrap around services in hubs that will cost $2.7 million each to run. A new 46-page report to be discussed by councillors next week outlines the details of […]
Arrest the homeless? London, Ont. councillor promotes controversial plan – Global News [2023-07-18]
A city councillor in London, Ont., is coming under fire after sharing a plan to address homelessness that suggested providing support that people need to get off the streets but arresting anyone who refuses assistance. Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson tweeted “London could be […]
City of Barrie backs down on plan to ban giving food to homeless people on its property – CBC News [2023-06-21]
The city of Barrie, Ont., has backed away from proposed bylaws that would have made it illegal to distribute food, literature, clothes, tents and tarps to unhoused people on public property. At a meeting on Wednesday night, council decided unanimously to refer bylaws 67 […]
MLHU to province: Social assistance rates too low as some scramble to afford food – Blackburn News [2023-04-25]
As an affordability crisis continues to impact people all over the region, the board of the Middlesex-London Health Unit is asking for help from the provincial government. After reading a report outlining the health impacts of the struggle to afford food, the board voted […]