Housing & Homelessness Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes

J. Steele indicates his organization has been in emergency mode only and some staff have been redeployed to assist in cleaning. New protocols have been developed and the wellness checks have been well received.

J. Zuk indicates one of the challenges they are working through is that a number of individuals they support applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) but do not meet the eligibility criteria. She notes they are assisting these individuals to return or repay the funds.

F. Coughlin reports volunteers from Habitat for Humanity along with Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario have been redeployed to sew masks (they have distributed several thousand masks in the community). They have been doing wellness checks on the homeowners and providing grocery delivery.

Councillor McKenzie notes that reference was made to a $1.2M deficit within the housing sphere and asks for the primary driver. D. Cercone responds that the primary driver is the additional support put in place in the shelters and the housing with support homes. They have to contemplate the current service levels and make some adjustments. The $1.2M is a projection based on current expenditures so, if no adjustment is made to their current service expenditures that is their deficit. If the Provincial and Federal Government provides additional funding, that would mitigate the difference.

Councilllor McKenzie reports City Council decided to house the agricultural workers, to provide a service that no one else was willing to do. He adds that we are looking at the operators that were required to make the city whole by providing service and we are currently working on the framework and its parameters. He expresses concern that the operators will pass on the cost to the workers themselves and asks what tools do we have as a municipality to protect those workers from not having those costs passed onto them because the workplace is essentially unsafe.

J. Payne states the question posed by Councillor McKenzie can be raised at the IMS table. The sublease agreement to support agricultural workers at the Isolation and Recovery Centre has not been finalized. Once again, not to just ensure the protocols are followed, but there is a contract and the operators know legally they are responsible for covering any and all funds. She adds she will contact the City Solicitor to determine if a line with some additional language can be added to the agreement.

4.2 Housing & Homelessness Master Plan 2019 Annual Report

K. Goz provides the following overview relating to the Housing & Homelessness Master Plan 2019 Annual Report: