A report evaluating London’s response to homelessness highlights the city’s progress but stresses that more funding from senior governments is needed. The Whole of Community System Response (WoCSR), created in 2022, has led to the establishment of two homeless hubs and the construction of 93 supportive housing units, with over 300 more planned or under construction. These efforts have shown positive results, such as a reduction in preventable deaths among the homeless, down to 44 in 2024 from 55 in 2022.
The report notes the success of London’s two hubs: one at Atlohsa Family Healing Services, which has helped 19 people transition to permanent housing, and another at Youth Opportunities Unlimited, which has helped 25 young people. A third hub, the Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub, is still awaiting its opening.
Despite these gains, the city’s homeless population has grown by 19% since 2022, reaching over 2,200 individuals. Mayor Josh Morgan acknowledged that while the city’s efforts are effective, London’s financial capacity is stretched, with limited resources for core services like policing and infrastructure. The report also highlights concerning trends, including the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in the homeless population and high stress levels among service providers.
The city is calling for more provincial and federal support to continue its successful initiatives and address the growing crisis. The findings will be presented at the upcoming Community and Protective Services Committee meeting.
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