What Needs to Happen

On January 17th, 2024, United Way of Elgin Middlesex presented a thought-provoking meeting, launching their campaign to petition the Ontario government to double provincial social assistance in our province. A cross- section of London citizens attended the presentation at the Wolf Performance Hall to hear a panel who are well versed in present social issues surrounding poverty and homelessness.

The panel endorsed United Way’s recommendation to double Ontario’s social assistance and bring people above the official poverty line.

The presenters reminded us that we cannot condone the homelessness and hunger that has become part of our beautiful province. It is unconscionable that a single person on Ontario Works receives only $733 a month for rent and basic needs. This is an amount that has been frozen by the provincial government for the past 5 years.

In London, Ontario, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment unit is $1,364 per month.  Meanwhile, United Way points out that the poverty line in Ontario is $2,302 per month. What remains evident is our province needs to double Ontario’s social assistance rates to come closer for singles and families to have shelter and live as valued humans.

Looking at the above facts, what needs to happen? We may add our voices by writing to Premier Doug Ford and your local MPP calling for the doubling of Ontario’s social assistance in the upcoming provincial budget 2024-2025.

Next Steps: Letters and emails must be received in Toronto by Feb. 29, 2024. It is time to ensure that everyone has access to a dignified, livable income. You can endorse the United Way recommendation here or contact Doug Ford via the Office of the Premier website here or here. Or send a letter to: Premier’s Office, Room 281 Legislative Building, Queen’s Park, Toronto, ON M7A 1A1

-Sister Jean Moylan, CSJ

Image: Unsplash/krakenimages 

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT

From the UN rapporteur statement on Housing as a Human Right we read:

Housing is a human right.  It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in many international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  Under international law everyone has the right to adequate housing.

Image: Michael Jasmund/ Unsplash

On Friday, October 14th the Mayor of Peterborough declared a state of emergency due of the lack of suitable housing and/or shelter beds available for the homeless as the winter months set in.  With an interest in homelessness, a couple of us decided to attend the gathering at All Saints Anglican Church that evening to hear what is being proposed and to get involved in some way.  Approximately 100+ citizens gathered to listen to ‘the folks’ who were affected by this crisis along with their support workers from various Agencies advocating on their behalf for a reasonable and viable solution.  In the audience were also the candidates who are seeking to be elected Mayor or Council Member in the upcoming Municipal election. Other citizens wanting to understand the current situation in our City  were present and are willing to offer support in wherever ways might emerge from meetings such as this one.    

The Agenda for the evening was set by the group as each person in the room had a chance to introduce themselves and state the issue(s) they wanted heard and addressed that evening.    

Key statements from the meeting were statements about feeling discouraged at the response of current city leaders who have not addressed homelessness sufficiently;

• shelters need more caring staff;

• rules in shelters need to be explained in a caring manner;

• Federal and Provincial governments need to come forward with funding;

• frustrated because NO changes will happen until new city council comes into power;

• income support programs need to be enhanced;

• family shelters are needed;

• places for youth need to be set up rather than having to couch surf;

• tents in parks or at City hall are taken from the folks and thrown in garbage;

• ODSP and OW is not adequate to live a healthy life;

• POLICE PRESENCE IS NOT A RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS. 

No matter who they are, people want to be respected and “looked in the eye” when they are spoken to.

On the other hand some positive comments were shared which gave HOPE to the audience:  to learn and become educated about the role of the Municipal Mayor and Council and keep them on task to resolve the issue; look at Tiny Homes /Sleeping Cabins as a possibility to house people this winter until a more permanent solution can be found and funded; listening and sharing ideas with each other as this meeting has done will engage creativity among the group; a few people with ideas can make something happen (Ex.  Kawartha Food Share began at a round table meeting and now serves hundreds of people in our community); once a human connection is made with a homeless person, I will be changed; use our power and our voice to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice; name this issue of homelessness as a violation of human rights when we get a chance in a public setting; take away one idea from this gathering and put it into action on behalf of the homeless.

Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering (Dalai Lama).

SOD TURNING

Housing is needed….

Sister Joan, pictured centre, in London Ontario with members of local non-profit housing advocates.

The Vision SoHo Alliance is responding to the Mayor’s call to build 3000+ units of affordable housing.

Six not-for-profit housing developers turned the sod on Friday, Oct. 14 in response to the Mayor’s call and to the desperate need for housing for many of our citizens.  The housing crisis in the city is on everyone’s mind as the fall turns cold, and snow will soon follow. 

What is unique about this effort is the collaborative work done by six non-profits to develop a piece of land that has both historical significance in London (former site of the War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the first Medical School) and its central location in London.  When completed it will provide approximately 680 units of mixed housing.  This is London’s biggest affordable housing project that the city has undertaken and has the potential to build a community where so many are needed to make it happen. 

We thank the media for the good overage we received for this ground-breaking ceremony and share the links to their coverage here:

Everything you need to know about SoHo affordable housing mega-plan - London Free Press

SoHo affordable housing project on old Victoria Hospital land to get underway in the spring - CBC News

SoHo development ready to move to the building phase - CTV News

Vision SoHo Alliance breaks ground on London, Ont. housing project - GLOBAL NEWS

We will post photos over time - following this transformation of land into homes.  We invite you to follow us!

Sister Joan Atkinson, Chairperson of the London Affordable Housing Foundation.

Advocacy in Action

It has been wonderful to see churches in London stand up and declare that outreach to people living on the street is at the heart of their mission and integral to their ways of doing worship. And there is no doubt Ark Aid Street Mission is doing critical work, meeting needs which are not being adequately addressed. 

SEE ARTICLE HERE

Image: Unsplash/Nathan Dumlao

Equally encouraging has been the number of Londoners calling for City Hall to sit down with business owners, church ministers, and social agencies to find adequate solutions to the current situation.  Such a dialogue would be more complicated than simply slapping a church with a bylaw infraction, but one hopes it would yield more fruit – and certainly more justice.

At the same time,  the current situation begs the question:  What is the city’s plan for ensuring the wellbeing of the estimated 300 people who live outdoors?  How might the city’s budget surplus of $14 million come into play? How can we better support the critical work of social agencies in the city? And might we, as Londoners and City Hall together, advocate to the provincial government to use the $7.2 billion it budgeted, but didn’t spend (and indeed to add to this total) to boost programs such as OW and ODSP, mental health services, and affordable housing so we’re actually addressing some of root causes of homelessness?

 -Sister Sue Wilson, Office for Systemic Justice

Affordable Housing - A Crisis in London and beyond

The lack of truly affordable housing has created a crisis in London, Ontario and beyond.  Low vacancy rates along with low OW and ODSP benefits mean that people accessing these benefits cannot even afford single rooms at boarding houses.  As of April 2019, there were 4,897 on the wait-list for geared-to-income housing in London.  Hope is lost, and peoples’ efforts are quashed when there is no safe, affordable housing from which to build a future.

The Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada support the call from Margaret Wills at Crouch Neighbourhood Resource Centre in London for immediate interim solutions to fill the gap until City of London staff finish the process of updating the Housing Strategy.  These interim solutions include but are not limited to: making money available for motel stays, allowing people accessing OW and ODSP benefits to share rental space without being penalized, and short-term rental top-ups.