Concerns about homelessness

The issue of homelessness in Hastings County, including Belleville and Quinte West,  was of particular concern at a meeting of the Community and Human Services Committee on Wednesday.

The committee heard a further  report on the homeless count in the area from last spring, and also a staff report on provincial funding on the issue.

That staff report includes an outline of funding for Quinte West Transitional Housing and the Belleville Warming Room staffing, as well as emergency shelters such as Grace Inn.

Belleville Councillor Kelly McCaw called for a reduction in the funding for Grace  Inn.

“I’d like to see a recalculation of $115,000 to reduce the Grace Inn component by 31% to $79,350 and reallocating the other funds that were initially going to Grace Inn … $17,025 to Salvation Army and the same to Three Oaks. The reason I use those numbers is this is their report that they gave us showing that they were only serving 69% of our residents in Hastings County. So that said. If you’re going to serve 69% of our residents you should only receive 69% of an allocation.”

“Other than that I would support the recommendation with an amendment to it. I will definitely will not support $150,000 allocation to Grace Inn,” McCaw added.

Director Suzanne Ritchie Raymond told the committee the 2021-22 funding has been allocated but there will be a complete review of funding early in the new year regarding future investments. “The program for Grace Inn, they have received those funds for this year of operating and into next. One of the things we will be doing is completing an investment review. And we’ll be bringing recommendations to the committee early in the new year that will inform future investments beyond 2022, outside of the contracts that have already been signed and the funds that have already been approved by committee to be distributed to those organizations.”

“Any concerns that might have been raised or questions that might have been raised, and that will be looked at as part of that fulsome review of where investments should be and what the priorities should be moving forward.”

She added, “What we’ll be looking at is the impact of the investments.”

McCaw added,  “It’s okay to allocate the money to these programs but they better be serving our residents. If they’re not serving our residents I don’t think from my perspective that I am comfortable doling money out to neighbouring community’s issues when they’re not prepared to step up and give us some funding. Their residents are using our services or using our funding …. perhaps we can look at a policy moving forward if you’re going to support our community then fine but if we’re going to support other communities then our taxpayers shouldn’t pay for it.”

The present figures were not changed.