4 service depots open as 'life-saving measure' for Londoners in homeless encampments

London's effort to prevent deaths of people who sleep outside entered a new stage on Tuesday, as four temporary service depots began operating near homeless encampments along the Thames River. 

The depots are simple affairs: Workers set up a folding table and hand out water, food and harm reduction supplies to anyone who needs them. Outreach workers also provide information about fire safety and carry out wellness checks to make sure those sleeping outside aren't becoming victims of violence. 

The depots also include port-a-potty washrooms. 

The depots are set up for an hour or two at four different locations along the river:

• Cavendish Park.
• Ann Street near the river.
• Wellington Valley Park
• Watson Street Park.

Once the supplies are handed out, the depots are packed away and moved to the next location. 

While the the depots aren't fancy, it's often a lack of basic needs such as food, water and sanitation leading to deaths among those who sleep outside, said Kevin Dickins, a deputy city manager heading the city's homelessness response.

"Individuals are growing more and more desperate," he said Tuesday at one of the hub locations in Cavendish Park. "It's hard to pay your way out of this deep, deep poverty. We're seeing health conditions deteriorate for those who are sleeping unsheltered." 

The service depots will be temporary, operating only for the next few months to provide a basic level of service quickly until five permanent service hubs can get up and running in the fall, Dickins said. 

Staff are ready to alter the service depots if necessary in response to changing needs or concerns from residents. 

"The health and safety of people in encampments are at conditions that we've not experienced before," he said. "We needed to act right away and move quickly." 

The hubs will cost about $400,000 in additional city services, including garbage collection. The rest of the service will be provided by existing contracts with service agencies, including London Cares. 

Outreach workers identified a need to step up supports for London's homeless population as their numbers grew and health needs increased, said Chantelle McDonald, the director of service at London Cares.

"We heard a lot of appreciation. Being there at the same time every day of the week is important," she said. "We're trying to bring services that will decrease the desperation. I heard a lot of 'Thank yous' for something as simple as a washroom." 

Response to push back

There has been some pushback about the direction of the city's homelessness response. Coun. Susan Stevenson in city council last week said more support for residents and business owners dealing with problems such as theft and vandalism is needed. 

Stevenson suggested that a phone number be set up so community members could report problems to city staff.

Joe Hermer chairs the sociology department at the University of Toronto at Scarborough. He's studied how different Canadian cities have responded to similar challenges. Policing and enforcement-based approaches are often the default response of cities, but are not effective, Hermer said. 

"It's a terrible approach," he said. "It's about the worst thing that they can do. It exacerbates the problem." 

A support-based approach like the one London is trying builds trust and relationships with those who sleep outside, which can ease any transition to supportive housing should it become available, Hermer said.  

"Unhoused people can have a very difficult time believing the city is acting in their own interest when their bylaw officers are constantly harassing them.". 

Those who sleep in encampments are not there by choice, Hermer added. 

"They're there because this is the last place to survive that provides some level of security to them," he said.

London city council will receive a report about the next stage of the homelessness response at the July 24 meeting of the strategic priorities and policy committee.