Old East Village businesses at odds with Ark Aid Mission's ask for $4.3M in city funds

The head of London's Old East Village (OEV) business district is pushing back against one of city's largest shelter's request for additional year-round funding as open drug use, garbage on the streets and crime is pushing customers away.

Kevin Morrison, general manager of OEV's business improvement area (BIA), says people's needs aren't being met with what currently exists and he's concerned how growing Ark Aid Mission on Dundas Street will impact Londoners trying to make a living in the area. 

"We're concerned because of the state of OEV, and what it's in now, and we feel like we've been neglected and ignored by the city," said Morrison, whose BIA represents 140 businesses. 

"Homelessness is one issue, but the serious problems that we're trying to cope with are addictions and mental health, and all the city is doing is providing band-aid solutions. Social services don't have any place in a business district of any municipality."

The Ark Aid Mission is seeking $4.3 million annually for the next three years to have a 24/7 drop-in centre, with 30 overnight beds at its 696 Dundas St. location, along with its Cronyn Warner site at 432 William Street that provides shelter to 60 people on a referral basis every night.

The money will allow the non-profit to hire people permanently to provide stable care and will be cheaper for taxpayers compared to precarious funding like the city's winter homelessness response, said Ark's executive director, Sarah Campbell. 

The funding request is on top of the $1.8 million the agency received from the city in July to extend its services until Dec. 31.

"This is just planned spending which stabilizes things and gives people the best opportunity to grow and move forward, as opposed to short-term funding that leaves them in a panic when services end," said Campbell.    

"Overall, if you took the per-month cost of our winter where we ramp up services, train and hire a bunch of people and let people go, it's very costly. As we have better trained staff and non-volunteers to help us plan ahead, we can deliver services more efficiently."

CBC News spoke to two OEV business owners who didn't want to be identified, fearing repercussions from the community. They said although they're compassionate toward people who need support, they're frustrated having to clean up feces and other messes outside their shops every morning, and are struggling with constant break-ins and vandalism. 

'Be a good neighbour,' says BIA

Last year, the Ark Aid Mission moved from its temporary location on Richmond Row where it had operated inside First Baptist Church, next to Victoria Park, for about a year following a fire at the Dundas Street location.

Business owners and residents there circulated a petition when theft and vandalism increased in the area. 

In OEV, about a dozen businesses have closed this year but are being replaced by new shops, said Morrison.

"This isn't an issue with the individuals that need the help — it's an issue with the providers and the lack of services they're actually providing. If you're going to be in our district, all we ask is that you become a good neighbour.

"A good neighbour would keep the property clean, not have open drug use right in front of your facility or have issues where people are being physically and verbally assaulted as they walk by, but that's what we deal with on a day-to-day basis."

Wednesday public meeting

Campbell said she understands the community's concerns, and in an effort to improve the situation, she and the OEV BIA will host two public meetings on Wednesday for residents to offer their input and learn how the funds will be used.  

Homelessness has grown exponentially and services need to increase equally, Campbell said, adding the Ark has 1,300 service interactions every day providing people with basic needs like food, clothing, showers, laundry and outreach.

"The businesses aren't wrong to raise their concerns and I don't disagree with them. I'm a neighbour in this community too. I empathize with the experience of having so much need in your backyard, and a lot of Londoners in periphery neighbourhoods aren't seeing it the same way that people in OEV are," she said.

"We want businesses to thrive and we want to work with them but we need more spaces and places to do this work, not less. Closing one door doesn't solve the problem." 

Morrison believes service agencies moving to industrial areas in the city's outskirts can be a more effective solution, he said. If the city does approves additional funding, he wants a dedicated bylaw team to help with enforcement, he added.

The meetings will take place at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the East Village Market on 630 Dundas St. on Wednesday.