The municipality is extending efforts to support those experiencing homelessness.
A motion at Monday night’s council meeting, giving the Chatham-Kent Encampment Advisory Committee (EAC) a mandate through May 31, 2027 was unanimously approved.
“I feel like hindsight is 20/20. If we would have known how successful…this committee would be we would not have done it as a pilot at all we would have continued it, it would not have been a pilot project, we would have had this be for the foreseeable future,” said Councillor Lauren Anderson.
Two members of the EAC presented a condensed version of their committee’s recommendations for tackling encampments and homelessness in Chatham with the intent for administration to review and analyze this report before returning in the new year.
The report included 32 points under nine categories, including governance, funding, accountability, public safety, municipal assets, and housing.
“We must prioritize establishing an emergency shelter or a series of small shelters sooner rather than later to shield those living rough while long term housing options are built” said EAC co-chair Clare McDowell.
“Waiting until 2028 is not soon enough.”
Council also voted unanimously in favour of staff reviewing the report and returning to council no later than May 2027 with their analysis, recommendations from the consultants review, implementation priorities and options, estimated operating and capital costs, staffing and resources required, timelines, and any budget considerations.
Council also voted on three specific points from the report, including a proposed name change to the Homelessness Prevention and Response Committee, a revised terms of reference for the committee to reflect the expanded mandate, and having the committee include representatives from each ward, including three to four councillors, with at least one or two representing the rural wards. This will come back to council on November 23.
“The direction is for staff to bring back a report in November, council today will have to deal with the fact that they have a council committee that was extended,” said Chief Administrative Officer Michael Duben.
“To your point they may say, we aren’t sure if we need two concurrent ones. Maybe we wait until we resolve what happens with this one, or they may say we do need a concurrent one and maybe they focus on x, y or z. So all you’re getting back at the November date is a report from staff. It doesn’t mean you’re going to have two committees. And even if on that day we get direction to start a committee it will take months to get a committee up and running.”
Councillors Melissa Harrigan, Aaron Hall, and Anthony Ceccacci expressed interest in the committee extending beyond Chatham, to include the rural communities in Chatham-Kent.
“I do see a lot of barriers as well in the smaller communities, having to try to assist individuals in the outlying committees receive housing has been an extreme challenge,” said Ceccacci.
“I think that we are missing the mark a little bit to increase the support to those outlier areas. And I think that when we are looking at this, and I know there is always a cost…we do have to look at how we are supporting our outlier communities.”
The motion for staff to return in November with a report to council was passed 16 to 1, with Councillor Alysson Storey voting against.
