Chatham-Kent wants to get out of the homeless shelter game, but due to a variety of reasons it appears the municipality will continue to operate an emergency homeless shelter for the near future.
Council will receive a report on the homeless situation in Chatham-Kent at their meeting being held in Chatham tonight.
The municipality has been operating emergency housing since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The current emergency housing shelter has been located in the former Victoria Park School for just over the past year.
The report recommends that Chatham-Kent continue to fund the emergency homeless shelter in the upcoming four-year budget.
The reasons given for continuing to operate a homeless shelter include, the high cost-of-living, high rents and social assistance rates remaining frozen. The report says that if the municipality closes the shelter it will lead to an increase in homeless encampments in Chatham-Kent.
The report to council says that the reality of the situation in Chatham-Kent is no different than other communities across the province – the need is growing and municipalities do not have the tools to fix the emergency homeless shelter issue without higher levels of government support.
Meantime, a number of other issues of significance are included in tonight’s council agenda.
Municipal officials will hear about an ambitious draft plan to spruce up Wallaceburg’s south side. An open house will be held before tonight’s meeting, running from 4-5:30 in the Civic Centre Atrium, followed by a report to council during the meeting.
Council will also consider extending a recent trial to reduce arena ice rates for another three years to help improve the financial viability of Chatham-Kent’s nine arenas.
In a report that will likely ruffle a few feathers in Chatham-Kent, councillors will hear the results from surveys from close to 5,000 area residents about the possibility of allowing backyard chickens in urban areas of the municipality. The majority of respondents—68 percent– said that they support allowing backyard chickens in all residential zoned areas across Chatham-Kent.