City to cover $537K provincial funding gap for Windsor homelessness programs

Homelessness programs in Windsor are breathing a sigh of relief after council voted to fill a significant funding gap left by the Ford government.

In April, city administration learned that a previously committed $537,000 increase in the province's Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) would be deferred by one year.

On Monday, Windsor city council voted 7-3 to provide that money using its Budget Stabilization Fund.

"I think that council made a responsible decision — or at least those that voted in favour today. The others, I say, shame on them," said Ron Dunn, executive director of the Downtown Mission.

"The people on the street don't care whose job it is to fund it. They just need funding."

The job of who should fund Windsor's CHPI programs was the main point of contention during Monday's delegations.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens — along with councillors Jo-Anne Gignac, Ed Sleiman and Fred Francis — voted against using the city's money to support CHPI programs in Windsor because they believed it would set a bad precedent.

"It's a very slippery slope, very dangerous for the municipality to step into the shoes of another level of government — especially one that has more money than you and one that's in austerity mode, that's in the midst of making big cutbacks," Dilkens said after the meeting.

The province has promised to increase that funding next year — but according to Dilkens, that's unlikely to happen.

Francis also opposed the motion, citing similar concerns. The Ward 1 councillor said there are more cuts "coming down the pipeline" and providing funding for a provincial program is not the city's responsibility.

"If there's going to be cuts to health care and education, is city council going to step into education and health care? That's not our portfolio. That's not our mandate," said Francis.

 "I don't think that we have to step up and assume that responsibility and assume that role when it's not sustainable."

During Monday's meeting, advocates for Windsor's CHPI programs made their case to council as to why the city should provide financial assistance.

One of them included Mike Turnbull, mobile food bank coordinator for the Unemployed Help Centre, who discussed the benefits of the Keep the Heat program.

Keep the Heat is an emergency assistance program which provides funding for those who are experiencing financial difficulties and risk having their utilities turned off due to unpaid bills.

"Last year, we assisted 852 households representing 2,315 people, of which 43 per cent were single parents," said Turnbull, adding funding cuts could result in homelessness, difficulties paying rent, and Children's Aid removing kids from their homes due to unfit living conditions.

For advocates of municipally-funded CHPI programs, the reasoning behind why some would oppose the motion isn't ignored. For Dunn, the provincial government needs to be "pushed to come through" with the funding it promised.

"So Drew and those who voted against the proposal tonight, they aren't wrong," said Dunn. "I understand exactly how they feel because the Mission absorbs the responsibility everyday, with no government funding.

"But again, it's about what's right. It's not about pointing fingers."