Norfolk wants more help from province to tackle local homelessness

Norfolk County wants the province to provide more help to address local homelessness.

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At a special council meeting on Tuesday, councilors directed county staff to prepare a business case on the “efforts and investments” made by the county and other local housing providers to address homelessness. Staff were also asked to provide lobbying suggestions, such as increases to Ontario Works and other provincial social assistance payments, and housing initiatives.

In addition, councilors directed staff to develop a plan that outlines all of the resources required to house the more than 100 local people on the current “by-name” list in need of housing.

Until that report is complete, council is asking Haldimand Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady to “lobby the province to support rural municipalities on these provincial issues.”

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“This is not the municipal taxpayers’ responsibility to provide all the services and be responsive,” said Mayor Amy Martin. “We need some support to get a rolling plan. We want a dollar figure to go to the province with and say this is how many beds we need tomorrow to clean up encampments and our growing by-name list.”

The special meeting was called by Martin to address concern about local encampments, including several tents set up in the parking lot next to Talbot Gardens arena.

“While we can see the five or seven tents at Talbot, this is a much larger problem,” said Sarah Page, Norfolk’s general manager of health and social services.

Page said the county’s homeless prevention services staff of 10 is focused on emergency housing, eviction prevention, community outreach and supports.

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County staff and OPP make regular stops to the Talbot Gardens encampment and other locations where there are homeless people to offer housing, life skills, health care, personal needs and other types of assistance.

But Norfolk CAO Al Meneses said the law prevents anyone being forced to accept the help being offered and attempts to “move individuals along” may violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, leaving the county at risk of litigation.

Meneses noted the “less than desirable” cleanliness of the Talbot Gardens encampment, increased noise, visible and illegal drug use, and used drug paraphernalia being discarded in the area has raised concerns from neighbors and downtown businesses.

“The situation is not new,” Meneses said. “What is new is the openness and location. Many of these individuals have been in this situation for a long time. We continue to strive to find a balance to meet the needs of all in our community. Not putting one resident’s interests above the rights of another is very important.

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“What is clear is that higher orders of government must create policies, strategies and funding that tackle the root cause of homelessness.”

Among the contributing factors leading to homelessness, said Page, are poverty, mental-health issues, the housing crisis, substance use issues, and increased costs for food, utilities and rent.

The wait list for housing in Haldimand Norfolk includes 400 individuals and families, a 67 per hundred hike in the past five years. They wait two to 10 years for housing. There is a 0.4 per cent vacancy rate for rental properties, and there has been a 15 per cent increase in local Ontario Works recipients over the past year.

Norfolk has 16 beds available for emergency housing.

Martin said members of the public, acting out of compassion, have provided some homeless individuals with tents, food and clothing, which may discourage them from using the supports being offered by county staff.

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At the same time, Coun. Alan Duthie, said he has heard stories of some community members “tormenting these people in vulnerable situations — throwing things at them, revving their engines in the Talbot Gardens’ parking lot, squealing tires to try to upset them.”

“I think we’re better than that,” said Duthie. “I’m really hoping we can remember we are talking about human beings. We are talking about people who are living in vulnerable, difficult situations and that we treat them with kindness.”

Page said the best way for the public to help is by donating to the Salvation Army, local food banks, Church Out Serving, St. Vincent de Paul, and other organizations working to support vulnerable people throughout the community.

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