With colder weather moving in, the city is pivoting from service depots to its winter response to help London's homeless.
Two reports going to the strategic priorities and policy committee on Tuesday afternoon outline what and where services will be offered during the winter months and what was learned from the summer service depots.
Service depots opened in Ann Street Park, Cavendish Park, Wellington Valley Park, and Watson Street Park on July 4. Billed as a temporary crisis solution for people living in encampments, the depots provided food, drinking water, washrooms, garbage cleanups, and service referrals for roughly 90 minutes each day.
According to the report, over the first 60 days the depots were in operation 19,595 materials and supplies were distributed. That included 13,798 water bottles, 3,513 meal kits, 1,476 personal supplies, and 595 hygiene supplies. During that time, there were 148 garbage and site cleanups, 10 harm reduction equipment disposals, 33 housing supports provided, and 82 referrals to other services.
Of the people who used the depots, 88 per cent reported that if the service did not exist it would negatively affect them.
"I would not eat most days if this was not around," one participant responded to a survey.
"I would have problems getting food without breaking the law," another participant answered.
People who live within 500 metres of where the depots were set up were also asked to participate in a survey, which 215 people took advantage of. Forty per cent of respondents stated the depots had a negative impact on the neighbourhood. However, those who indicated a "negative impact" primarily discussed encampments rather than service depots. Respondents who reported "no impact" (35 per cent) noted they were not aware depots or encampments existed. Thirteen per cent said the depots had a positive impact, while 12 per cent reported a positive and a negative impact.
Neighbours identified the positives of the depots as an increase in basic needs being met and cleanliness and less disruption and anti-social behaviour.
“The unsheltered individuals in my area are less hostile and less impactful on the neighbourhood. It’s clear that many of their challenging actions before the arrival of the service depots were cries for help," one neighbourhood resident stated.
Another said there was a "significant decrease in street violence and harassment."
The information obtained from participants and neighbours will be used to enhance the service depots and inform and design future initiatives including the winter response to homelessness.
Six agencies are sharing the responsibility of running this winter's resources and services for people living on the streets, according to another report going to committee.
It states there will be day drop-in space, shower, laundry, and washrooms facilities, and basic need services at Ark Aid on Dundas Street, London Cares on Queens Avenue, the CMHA London Coffee House on Hamilton Road, the Salvation Army Centre for Hope on Wellington Street, and Safe Space London on Dundas Street.
The Salvation Army and Safe Space will also have night drop-in space, including 15 additional women-only shelter beds at each location.
Outreach services will be offered at 519Pursuit and London Cares from December until the end of May 2024. The goal is to reach the most marginalized and hard to find individuals living unsheltered during the winter, the report states.
Some of the day drop-in services have already begun. The remaining day services and the night drop-in spaces will be operational as of December.
The nearly $2 million in approved funding needed for the winter response is to come from the housing stability service budgets and social services reserve fund, according to the report.