Women's shelter seeks review of Coun. Stevenson's 'ability to represent' ward after SafeSpace London post

London city council and mayor should "review" the ability of a city councillor to represent her ward following online comments that were critical of a local agency which provides supports to sex workers in crisis, a letter from the London Abused Women's Centre (LAWC) states.

The agency is also asking for London's integrity commissioner to step in and determine whether the councillor violated the council code of conduct.

The letter, signed by executive director Jennifer Dunn, is addressed to Mayor Josh Morgan, councilors, and the city's integrity commissioner, and says that a recent post from Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson implies that she doesn't "support women in crisis and meeting women where they are at."

The post in question came the morning after last week's city council meeting, where city politicians voted to give $2.16 million to six agencies to provide day and overnight drop-in services and outreach programs into the spring for the city's winter response to homelessness.

Stevenson was the lone vote against providing funding to three of the six agencies — Ark Aid, CMHA London Coffee House and SafeSpace London. SafeSpace London will open 15 drop-in spaces at its location at 679 Dundas St. in the Old East Village, which Stevenson represents.

"I voted NO because the only women's homeless shelter in #LdnOnt is a support centre for sex workers in crisis," Stevenson posted on X, previously known as Twitter, the following morning, along with a screenshot of SafeSpace London's profile on the platform.

"Tax payer (sic) funds to operate in the ❤️ of a struggling business district that in the same meeting received $500K to assist with the negative impacts of homelessness."

Stevenson had expressed disappointment during the meeting that the plan contained no new overnight shelter services, and that the only shelter aimed at women focused on sex workers.

"Given that London does not currently have a homeless shelter for women other than SafeSpace, is there a risk, real or perceived, that choosing sex work would assist in getting priority and a bed in a city-funded shelter?" Stevenson said during the meeting.

"As this proposal for Cold Weather Response has come through the Whole of Community, there is implicit approval for a shelter that empowers survival sex workers by all organizations, including London Police Service and LHSC."

Stevenson added that by supplying funding to SafeSpace London, the city was also providing "implicit if not explicit" support to the agency's calls to decriminalize sex work.

On the issue of overnight shelters, city staff told politicians that additional details would come in a report at the next meeting of the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee.

Comments spark letter to council, integrity commissioner

Stevenson's comments about SafeSpace London caught the attention Dunn, who is now calling for a review of Stevenson's "ability to represent Ward 4," according to the letter.

"I want to know if there is public confidence in her to perform her duties as required to do so," Dunn said by phone on Sunday. "We're one sector in the city, the violence against women sector, and we do not have confidence in her ability to do her job as required."

The letter describes Stevenson's statement as being harmful to women and girls in the community, including those who become involved in the sex trade "often by way of circumstance and situations out of their control."

"When you're a city councilor, it's your job to represent those that are in your community, and this is just simply not a reflection of that. As a matter of fact, we would believe that it's actually harmful," Dunn said.

Dunn said SafeSpace London was aware of the letter ahead of time, and says she had heard back from three city councillors as of Sunday, but not from Stevenson or  Morgan.

The letter was also sent to the city's integrity commissioner, an independent office which investigates alleged violations of city council's code of conduct. 

Reached on Sunday, Jeffrey A. Abrams of Principles Integrity said he could not confirm whether he had received the letter or whether an investigation had been launched.

It's not clear which section of the code of conduct Stevenson may have allegedly violated, and Dunn says the agency will work internally to determine that.

"I was just like, you know, we don't have the time to sit here and figure out what it is, like this just happened, we have to get a statement out," Dunn said.

"The community, and the women and girls that we provide service to, if we just sat back and watched this happen, it's like we're agreeing with what's going on."

Responding to the letter, Stevenson charged that using tax dollars to fund part-time shelters for sex workers doesn't make London safe for women and girls, but instead incentivizes vulnerable women to enter the sex trade and enables human trafficking.

"Under past leadership, the London Abused Women's Centre not only understood that, but championed that message across the country," Stevenson said in a message on Twitter.

"It is a shame to see LAWC turn their back on that legacy."

CBC News contacted Morgan for comment but did not receive a response on Sunday.

In a statement, Jenna Rose Sands, executive director of SafeSpace London, said the agency acknowledged the "valid concerns" outlined in LAWC's letter, and was "heartened" by the support it had received from the community.

"We align ourselves with the belief that divisive rhetoric is detrimental, eroding the trust that vulnerable populations, and those that serve them, place in people holding positions of power," read the statement, co-signed by Rachel Berdan, the agency's board chair.

"SafeSpace London remains resolute in our dedication to fostering a community that advocates for the most marginalized and exploited members of our society. We believe all are deserving of supports, community and care, it is not our place to decide who is worthy of such based upon our own comforts."

Councillor the subject of prior integrity commissioner complaint

The Ward 4 councillor has been critical in the past of SafeSpace London and of the city's response to homelessness, including plans to open neighbourhood hubs with services and supports for those sleeping rough.

In September, Stevenson was the subject of a complaint filed with the city's integrity commissioner over some of her online posts.

The posts included photographs of vulnerable Londoners in her ward along with text commentary that one fellow councillor worried could incite violence toward the individuals.

The current status of that matter is unclear.