City council eyes opening a homeless shelter as it quashes funds for Ark Aid drop-in space

A city council committee is considering asking the Ontario government for funds to open a new shelter location in London that would create more spaces for unhoused Londoners and offload the pressures faced by agencies working to bring them indoors during extreme weather. 

The community and protective services committee on Monday unanimously supported the idea which was pitched by Coun. Hadleigh McAlister, who said challenges for people finding overnight beds this winter made him realize that more shelter spaces are needed in the city. 

"Our service providers did their best through the cold weather to free up space but I fully recognize that we do not have enough spaces and I think we have to start the work of opening a new shelter," he said. "I really do think we've reached the point where we need a new shelter."

McAlister referred to the temporary overnight shelter that was suddenly stationed at the Carling Heights Optimist Community Centre in east London in January during an extreme cold weather alert. It opened hours after eight frontline social agencies called for more overnight supports. 

Existing overnight shelters in the city include the Centre of Hope, Men's Mission and the Ark Aid Mission.

Coun. Susan Stevenson, whose ward includes the Ark's 696 Dundas Street location, which has been a point of contention among business owners due to the over-saturation of social agencies in the Old East Village area, supported the idea of another shelter.

However, Stevenson questioned whether the city was following through on its Whole of Community response which was intended to move away from shelters and toward highly supportive housing and an encampment strategy.  

"There's no question there's a need. I would prefer to have shelter beds than resting spaces so we don't have this lottery every day to find out who gets a bed that night," she said. "I support this but I don't see how this fits into our plan."

In response, McAlister said the homelessness crisis can't be tackled with just one solution, and a multi-faceted approach is needed to address its complexities. Another shelter would be one piece of a larger puzzle, he added. 

Kevin Dickins, deputy city manager for social and health development, said city staff have approved three separate highly supportive housing projects which would total more than 200 units, along with a 60-bed provincial HART Hub, operated by CMHA Thames Valley, which is set to open next month. 

Ark Aid drop-in space funding rejected

The committee gave a more than $510,000 raise to The Salvation Army Centre of Hope to have 18 women's-only emergency shelter spaces from April 1 to the end of March, 2026. 

It also approved $3 million dollars for the Ark Aid Mission to operate 70 overnight beds at its Cronyn Warner location, which was welcomed by its executive director Sarah Campbell. 

The agency initially asked for a total $3.6 million, with $610,577 going toward a "day drop-in space" to offer basic services like showers, meals and laundry at its Dundas Street location, but the committee voted against it, asking for more information on how it differs from overnight shelters. 

"Stabilizing services is critical," said Campbell. "The implications of reducing funding for other areas of services that need to be stabilized is something you need to consider."

Campbell said consistent funding is important to continue meeting the high demand, and allows the Ark to plan ahead. Funding changes will prevent it from continuously being able to support people in need, she said. 

Councillors will vote on the matters on April 1.