No money to fund overnight heating spaces could lead to more deaths among homeless, advocates say

Operators of Hamilton's network of homeless shelters and drop-in locations are worried that without overnight warming spaces funding, there will be more cases of frostbites or death during the cold winter months.

In January a pair of Hamilton doctors released data tracking deaths in the city's homeless population, revealing at least 19 people died during a six-month period in 2021.

Wesley Urban Ministries, The Hub, The Shelter Health Network, Grenfell Ministries and the Student Overdose and Prevention and Education Network are hoping the new city council can find a solution before it gets any colder. 

"It's not great, it's actually pretty scary," said Jennifer Bonner, co-founder and executive director of The Hub on Vine Street.

In August Hamilton's Housing Services Division told the Emergency and Community Services Committee that without additional provincial funding certain emergency services will be cut.

The federal COVID emergency relief funding that was used to pay for these services has stopped and any further money would need to be sourced internally.

People could die in their tents or get frostbite, we saw a lot of folks last year who were exposed to the elements for longer periods of time.​​​​​​- Jennifer Bonner, executive director, The Hub

Along with three other services, the Expanded Winter Response Fund, which was providing $500,000 for overnight warming centres for the winters of 2021-22, was discontinued.

This means that during the next cold alert, drop-in centres like Wesley or The Hub won't be able to provide shelter against the weather.

Bonner said that the warming spaces were crucial for the homeless population during the COVID-19 lockdowns and provided spaces for them to survive the harsh weather.

"It's significant for these people, a large snowfall can collapse tents very easily," said Bonner.

"People could die in their tents or get frostbite, we saw a lot of folks last year who were exposed to the elements for longer periods of time."

The medical officer of health for the City of Hamilton issues a cold alert when:

• The temperature drops, or is expected to drop below –15 C.

• The temperature feels like –20 C with wind chill.

This triggers the Community Cold Response, repurposing some of the city's recreation centres and Hamilton Public Library locations to become community warming centres for those who need to keep warm during operating hours.

According to the August report that was given to the Emergency and Community Services Committee, from the start of the pandemic response on March 16, 2020 through June 2022, the expanded shelter system supported a total of 5,481 unique individuals and 488 families.

The committee said that an immediate return to pre-pandemic service levels would not meet the current level of ongoing demand within the homeless population.

City staff reviewing options for additional overnight drop-ins

Michelle Baird, Director of Housing Services at the City of Hamilton said, "staff are reviewing options for additional overnight drop-ins to be activated during cold alerts this season and will provide an update to council and the community in the near future." 

She said drop-in centres overall will continue to be funded until March 2023 and the YWCA's Carole Anne's Place will continue to function as an overnight heating space, also until March.

"In the shelter system overall right now ... we're challenged even scaling to full capacity, let alone offering additional services, that too continues to be a struggle across the sector and beyond," said Baird.

Mayor Andrea Horwath said, "as a city we must do everything we can to support those who are most vulnerable. I am committed to addressing the housing and homelessness crisis here in Hamilton and I will work hard with this council, city staff, and with our community partners, not only to fill gaps like this, but to engage with other levels of government to ensure we provide the supports and resources necessary to help people become and stay housed."

Bonner said that the upcoming winter will put the city's hospital emergency wards to the test with more homeless needing to be hospitalized as the cold alerts happen.

"I'm optimistic that something is going to happen with the new council ... but again it's gonna have to be using municipal funding as there is no federal funding, so where does that come from, where is that allocated?"