London City Council has approved the first three Hubs, marking a significant leap forward in addressing the health and homelessness crisis. The approval of these first Hubs marks the next step in the implementation of the Health and Homelessness Whole of Community Response that has been underway since November 2022 and has brought together over 200 leaders across the community in a new, systemwide approach to ending homelessness in our city.
“This is a milestone moment for our community and a testament to our unwavering dedication to addressing the health and homelessness crisis,” said Mayor Josh Morgan. “There is much work still to be done to support the most marginalized, but we have come together as a community to change people’s lives for the better.”
The Hubs are designed to provide wrap-around care and a host of services for unsheltered individuals with the most complex needs, focusing on three of the priority populations identified in the Hubs Implementation Plan: Indigenous individuals, youth, and women and female-identifying individuals. As comprehensive centres, the Hubs will offer around-the-clock services, encompassing supports such as food, shower, laundry facilities, rest areas, income support, integrated care planning, healthcare, and a suite of services designed to help individuals transition into stable housing.
In August 2023, the City initiated a procurement process to identify lead agencies and locations for the first Hubs. The recommendations of that process were approved by Council tonight and the first three Hubs are as follows:
- Atlohsa Family Healing Services Hub: This Hub, aimed at supporting Indigenous individuals, will be located at 550 Wellington Road. Scheduled to open in December 2023, it will provide wrap-around services for 10 respite beds and 18 transitional rooms.
- Youth Opportunity Unlimited (YOU) Hub: Geared towards assisting youth in need, this Hub will be situated on two sites: the first, at 800 Commissioners Road East, will offer services for 6 respite beds and 9 transitional rooms. The second site will provide accessible primary care and will open at Joan’s Place downtown once completed. YOU anticipates helping up to 60 youth annually, leaning on a wide range of services including shelter, life skills development, and a gamut of housing supports based on the individual needs of each participant.
- Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and CMHA Thames Valley Hub: Focused on serving women and female-identifying individuals, this multi-site Hub is slated to provide services for 10 respite beds at its first location, 556 Dundas Street, by December 2023. Pending rezoning, a second site at 705 Fanshawe Park Road West will support services for an additional 20 transitional rooms.
The Hubs will be primarily funded by provincial dollars already allocated to the City under the Homelessness Prevention Program, in the amount of $10.4 million, spread over two years. A request will also be made to the Fund for Change in the amount of $4.9 million to open and $5.2 million to operate the Hubs over the two years. There will be no tax levy implications resulting from the implementation of these Hubs.
“The Hubs will deliver transformative wrap-around services that will help the most marginalized unsheltered individuals get inside, stay inside, and move towards stable housing. There are 600 of those individuals in our city: the Hubs will save lives, and, ultimately, address the more widespread community effects of this crisis,” said Kevin Dickins, Deputy City Manager, Social and Health Development.
Community members in the vicinity of the new Hub locations will be engaged by the lead agencies to learn more about the hubs and how they can provide feedback for a smooth transition for Hubs into their respective neighbourhoods. An additional, City-led continuous feedback loop has also been established for Londoners to share their thoughts on the health and homelessness response.
With the implementation of the first three Hubs, the City will continue to work with sector and community members to establish highly supportive housing which is also a critical element of the Whole of Community response.
“I want to thank the sector, the hundreds of community members, Council and City staff for their complete dedication to this very difficult work,” added Mayor Morgan. “I especially want to recognize the agencies who have stepped up for our community and are making it possible for us to take this next, critical step. As a community, we can be proud of the work we are all doing to improve the lives of all Londoners and lead the way in finding innovative solutions to this national crisis.”