Sarnia refers tiny homes question to Lambton County council

Sarnia city council pushed pause Tuesday on deciding whether to build tiny homes in Sarnia for homeless people, and said no to issuing an eviction order to people camping in Rainbow Park.

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Council instead voted unanimously to ask Lambton County council to vote on whether several transitional-housing tiny homes should be built somewhere in Sarnia — a location hasn’t been specified — as an interim alternative for people sleeping rough.

County social services officials have previously said they’re not in favor of building tiny home communities, Mayor Mike Bradley said, calling for the referral to county council “so it’s dealt with at the political level.”

Building tiny-home transitional housing, similar to projects in Peterborough and Waterloo, could cost up to $4 million, and up to $3 million in annual operating costs, has been postponed from Sarnia chief administrator Chris Carter says.

People using the proposed 7.4-square-meter (80-square-foot) homes would pay the shelter portion of their Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program funds, which could bring in about $200,000 a year, it says, noting it would not likely eliminate encampments in the city, but could make them smaller.

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At Bradley’s urging, council hit pause to see how other pending Lambton County council decisions play out.

County council in September passed a motion asking if the Sarnia-Lambton emergency shelter system can be adjusted, so Sarnia can move to shut down the Rainbow Park camp legally, and if the county would back the city in seeking a court injunction.

Discussions were expected at county council Wednesday, Bradley said.

“If it’s correct that they’re meeting the needs of the community that’s out there as it relates to relationships and other issues that have arisen in the court decision, if we can verify that … then we’ll be coming back to you to look at the injunction issue,” Bradley told city council Tuesday.

Sarnia has unused emergency shelter spaces, but recent court rulings in Waterloo and Kingston, and a third-party legal opinion obtained by the city, say such beds aren’t enough to justify removing people from public parks, in violation of Charter rights to life , liberty and security.

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Truly accessible shelter spaces — allowing couples to stay together, people to bring in pets or drugs, and ensuring safety from violence and sexual predation — are needed.

HAS county report on the shelter system says “individuals seeking assistance have their needs assessed and reasonably accommodated,” including through motel and hotel rooms so couples and families can stay together.

People choosing to live rough instead of in shelter do so “not because of an accessibility barrier, but rather because of external factors influencing their decisions, like substance use or mental health,” the report says, noting 64 individuals surveyed in August said they choose to sleep rough because of personal relationships, substance use, and mental health reasons.

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The overall shelter system in August was about 74 per cent full, it says.

Lambton oversees social services programs in Sarnia-Lambton with a $9.3-million budget, $1.7 million of that from member municipalities, and the rest from federal and provincial government funding.

The tiny homes issue wasn’t expected to come to county council for consideration Wednesday, Bradley said.

“But I will be meeting separately along with (Sarnia’s and Lambton’s) CAOs (chief administrative officers) and the warden to say ‘Look, we’ve got to break this logjam. We’ve got to find a way forward,’” Bradley said, noting that includes having a plan for what happens next if the encampment in Rainbow Park is removed.

“You can’t do that and not have a plan to deal with what the impacts will be throughout the community,” he said, about people moving elsewhere.

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A county “by-name” list of individuals experiencing homelessness, or without stable housing, Aug. 31 listed 321 people, the county report says.

Sarnia officials recently said there were more than 40 tents in Rainbow Park, where the city has had fencing, security guards and temporary washrooms since June.

County council in September declined to share city costs for those security and sanitation measures city officials said cost about $160,000 in July and August.

If county council decides not to move ahead with tiny homes, Coun. Anne Marie Gillis said she’d like Sarnia still to consider developing a plan on its own.

“Because otherwise we’ve got nothing,” she said.

Considering a plan without the county is still a possibility, Bradley said.

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Coun. Terry Burrell said Sarnia shouldn’t get involved in providing social services, since that’s the county’s responsibility.

“I think it really comes down to… staying in our lane, and our lane does not include housing,” he said.

If Sarnia does start looking into providing social housing, “that starts to dissolve the whole city-county relationship,” Bradley said.

“Because the reason we joined the county” was to provide services like that, and public health, he said.

“What’s unfolding is that we’re only getting part of that package,” he said.

“So, there’s a bigger issue in play.”

Coun. George Vandenberg also brought a motion Tuesday asking for an eviction order for Rainbow Park if Sarnia doesn’t seek a court injunction.

Council voted against that motion 6-3. Burrell and Coun. Bill Dennis voted with Vandenberg in the losing cause.

Dennis, who called for breaking rules if necessary to “get these people the hell out of our city,” said the current problem wouldn’t exist “if we had a backbone and some courage.”

He also lashed out angrily at members of council, including Bradley, Coun. Chrissy McRoberts, and Coun. Adam Kilner, on unrelated matters. Dennis relented after Bradley called for civility.

-with files from Paul Morden

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