City Council Approves $2.577 Million in Federal Winter Homelessness Funding

Council approved the use of $2.577 million in federal funding for winter homelessness response, including winter beds and reimbursement to the city for prior spending. It also approved an extension tied to interim bridge funding for outreach services, deferred one delegation item, and directed staff to report back on extreme heat, poor air quality, and shelter-related procurement issues.

Topics Discussed

1. FEDERAL WINTER RESPONSE FUNDING

Council approved the allocation of $2.577 million in federal UHI funding. As discussed at the meeting, $2.125 million will go to winter response, $350,000 will reimburse the city for previous eligible spending, and about $75,000 will remain unallocated for now.

Mayor Josh Morgan said, "This is an opportunity for us to receive 2.577 million from the federal government," adding that the plan was to "spend 2.125 of it on winter response and take 350,000 and reimburse as is allowed under the agreement."

Staff said the winter response is planned to run from Dec. 1 to March 31. Asked about extending service if cold weather continues, Mr. Dickens said, "If by chance there are days in April that are frigid cold or nasty, we… are looking at organizations to make those decisions to maintain their spaces or open up their spaces again."

2. WINTER SHELTER AND WARMING SPACE OPERATIONS

Council reviewed how winter beds and warming spaces would operate, including timelines, approvals, and reporting. Staff said council would not approve funding for locations before sites are identified, and that staff would return with details once operators secure spaces.

Discussion included capacity at My Sister's Place, Cronyn Warner, and London Cares, with an overall target of about 120 warming spaces. Staff also committed to reporting back during and after the winter season on usage, referrals, and unmet need.

Councillor Susan Stevenson questioned whether ending beds March 31 could leave a gap if cold weather continues. Paul Van Meerbergen said, "my concern would be that I would want to ensure that those beds are available in the system until the end of June."

3. OUTREACH AND BASIC NEEDS FUNDING

Council also discussed instability in funding for outreach and basic-needs services, including concerns about interruptions after July 31.

A speaker told council, "There is no place in our city to go seven days a week." Jerry Pribil added, "If we look at drop in it's really only Arcade. So if we take out 519 and we take out Arcade we are missing big part of the encampments."

Mayor Morgan argued against continuing short-term extensions without a broader review, saying, "I don't want to be presumptuous to say let's just continue to extend the previous services," and instead called for staff to examine "what is necessary in the system," how it should be procured, and how it could be funded.

Council directed staff to report back on procurement and possible funding sources, including whether unused UHI funding or reserve funds could help address gaps.

4. EXTREME HEAT AND WILDFIRE SMOKE PREPAREDNESS

An advisory committee presentation focused on cooling-centre access and wildfire smoke response. Brandon Samuels asked, "Will the city be able to meet growing needs of the community? Is the city fully engaging all interested parties, schools, tenant groups, frontline agencies to provide effective heat relief to everyone who needs it?"

The Environmental and Social Issues Advisory Committee chair said, "Nobody could tell us how cooling centers are monitored for indoor air quality."

Councillor David Ferreira said wildfire smoke had affected him personally: "I could feel that in my throat and I could… even got a couple of headaches during that time."

Council approved a motion directing civic administration to report back by the second quarter of 2027 on programs and procedures for extreme heat and poor air quality, with consultation involving the health unit, fire department, and the advisory committee.

5. EMERGENCY SHELTER GUIDELINES

Council discussed updated emergency shelter guidelines, including harm reduction and substance possession policies. Staff said the changes do not permit on-site drug use, but do mean people cannot be denied shelter solely because of substance use or possession.

Staff told council, "We're not here to promote that people go into neighborhoods and use drugs. That's not what this policy is about." Dory, speaking to the legal framework, said, "to deny that service on the basis of a disability very generally could be a breach of the Ontario Human Rights Code."

Stevenson asked, "Specifically regarding the explicit allowing of illegal substances to be brought inside our taxpayer funded shelters, is there any other city that uses that language?" She also raised concerns about proximity to "elementary schools, daycares, or senior populations."

Councillor Corrine Rahman said the updated 2026 shelter guidelines "puts us in compliance with the province," and said the city was continuing "an Ontario human rights approach."

Motions

• Item 2.1 / Item 2.2 – Federal UHI funding / winter response funding allocation — Passed, 6-0
• Item 2.3 – Delegation request — Deferred
• Motion on extreme heat and poor air quality review (report back by Q2 2027) — Passed
• Item 4.1 – Extension of interim bridge funding for outreach services — Passed, 6-0
• Request for delegation on Housing Stability Services Procurement / Emergency Shelter Guidelines comparative analysis — Passed, 6-0
• Closing motion referenced at end of transcript — Passed, 6-0

Attendees

• Mayor Josh Morgan
• Councillor Susan Stevenson
• Councillor Hadleigh McAlister
• Councillor David Ferreira
• Councillor Jerry Pribil
• Councillor Sam Trosow
• Councillor Anna Hopkins
• Councillor Corrine Rahman
• Councillor Paul Van Meerbergen
• Councillor Steve Lehman
• Councillor Steven Hillier