What to know as Oxford County, Woodstock team up on homeless center

After Woodstock city council decided to spend nearly $2 million on the creation of a homelessness service center, Oxford County voted unanimously on Wednesday to join its largest city in tackling homelessness throughout the county. Reporter Brian Williams breaks down what to know about the city-county partnership

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THE MONEY

Woodstock received a nearly $2-million windfall for surpassing its 2023 target of approving 403 new homes set by the provincial government. The city got to 475 homes.

The money comes from the province’s three-year, $1.2-billion fund to encourage municipalities to approve more home construction, all in service of the Queen’s Park goal of constructing 1.5 million homes provincewide by 2031.

Woodstock politicians voted last week spend the money on a facility to serve the city’s homeless population.

OXFORD COUNTY VOTE

On Wednesday, Oxford County politicians voted unanimously to have staff compile a report on how the money – obtained through the so-called Building Faster Fund – can be used for a homelessness service center, with a focus on transitioning people experiencing homelessness to housing.

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“I believe we’ve been offered this. . . money to make a real difference,” Woodstock Mayor Jerry Acchione, who sits on Oxford County council, told his colleagues at Wednesday’s debate.

WHAT IS A HOMELESSNESS SERVICE CENTER?

Coun. Brian Petrie pointed to the potential difficulty in defining a “homelessness service center,” admitting he “didn’t have a firm definition” of what such a facility would look like. “If you went around the table, you’d have 10 different answers.”

The responsibility of narrowing the scope and defining it will fall upon Oxford County staff, which Petrie described as a “monumental task.”

But despite confusion of what the space would be, there was little ambiguity about the need to transition people from homelessness to housing.

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“I don’t envy staff’s job that we’re asking them to do here: to try to determine what a homelessness services center is. . . . It can’t just be an emergency shelter, it can’t be a destination, it has to be a stepping stone,” said Coun. Phil Schaefer.

Warden Marcus Ryan and Petrie both echoed Shaefer’s statement, agreeing transitioning out of homelessness should be a goal of the center.

“It’s about creating a space where individuals can access the supports, stability and resources they need to begin rebuilding their lives,” Acchione said.

WHY DOES WOODSTOCK NEED OXFORD COUNTY’S HELP?

Oxford County operates as a two-tier municipal government, meaning certain responsibilities fall to municipalities while others are covered at the county level.

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As Coun. Bernia Martin indicated at the meeting, spending the roughly $2 million is “complex” due to the two-tier system. Martin noted that the city doesn’t have the “sphere of jurisdiction” over homelessness or housing supports, whereas the county does.

Oxford County’s responsibility for homelessness and housing supports means it needs to be involved with the city to create a facility aiding the homeless.

“Let us stand together and take this critical step forward addressing homelessness in Oxford County,” Acchione said.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE?

Further complicating the funding is a province-imposed deadline on spending the money.

The purchase of the property for the facility must be completed by March 31, 2026, but the space wouldn’t have to be operated by then.

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Acchione said the deadline was a motivator.

“The timelines required of us will now ensure we get this done as soon as possible instead of talking about this issue,” he said.

HOMELESSNESS IN OXFORD COUNTY

Homelessness in Oxford County has become more visible in recent years.

In September, Woodstock city hall officials reported there were 44 encampments throughout the city. Although some have been cleaned up since then, the city has spent more than $100,000 this year on the task.

An increase in the number of homeless people also prompted the county to add emergency beds to an overnight shelter amid growing demand.

In March, 25 beds were added to The Inn – a shelter that operates out of Old St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Woodstock – which is a collaboration involving the church, Operation Sharing and Oxford County. There are now 55 beds.

WHERE WILL IT BE LOCATED?

A location hasn’t been selected for the center, but it would almost certainly be in Woodstock.

Coun. David Mayberry said of Oxford County’s largest municipality: “Unfortunately (it’s) the area where we have the biggest problem, and is also the area where we have the most services.”

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@BrianWatLFPress

The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada

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