People sleeping under plastic sheets next to a trash can outside a Milton public library, along with similar encampments across Halton, are a stark reminder of the growing homelessness crisis in the region.
In response, Halton regional council unanimously passed a motion at its Wednesday (Jan. 22) meeting urging the federal and provincial governments to take significant, long-term action.
The human impact was underscored by Milton councillor Colin Best, who shared the photo sent by a concerned resident of an individual sheltering outside the local library and art centre.
“This is one of three people that are basically living in our library throughout the day,” Best said, adding that social services outreach staff have made several attempts to provide assistance.
The numbers illustrate the gravity of the situation.
In 2023, Ontario saw 3,432 drug-related deaths and over 1,400 homeless encampments across its communities. A recent report from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), in partnership with the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) and the Northern Ontario Service Deliverers Association (NOSDA), revealed that more than 80,000 Ontarians were homeless in 2024 — a 25 per cent increase since 2022.
Best pointed to the broader issue, citing findings from northern Ontario showing that care centres for people experiencing homelessness reduced policing and emergency services costs. He said investments in housing and support services are not just humane but cost-effective in the long term.
“We have to fix this,” Best said.
Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward shared a similarly pressing viewpoint, recounting a fire at a local encampment caused by propane tanks used for heating. “It was very fortunate that nobody was harmed… but it shouldn’t take a life-threatening event to find suitable accommodation for folks,” she said.
“These encampments are dangerous for the people living there,” Meed Ward added, noting that libraries and community centres have increasingly become makeshift shelters.
In 2024, Halton invested $69 million in housing and homelessness programs, with 63 per cent funded by municipal taxpayers. Across Ontario, municipal spending on these programs exceeded $2.1 billion.
Despite these efforts, additional support is critical. The same AMO report calls for $11 billion over 10 years to end chronic homelessness and $2 billion over eight years to house all encampment residents.
Both the federal and provincial governments have announced funding, but they fall short of what’s needed.
The federal government committed $250 million for encampments and unsheltered homelessness, with plans for a cost-sharing agreement with provincial governments. However, progress on a formal cost-shared agreement has been slow.
The federal government has pledged to work directly with municipalities, but without provincial involvement, only half of the available funding will reach local governments.
Ontario, for its part, announced $75.5 million in December 2024 to help municipalities provide long-term housing and temporary accommodations for those in encampments. While appreciated, Meed Ward described the funding as “woefully inadequate.”
“This motion asks for continued pressure on the province to come to terms with the federal government for shared funding,” Meed Ward said. “We need to continue to make appropriate funding for mental health, homelessness and addictions.”
The motion’s calls for action include enhancing affordable housing, expanding mental health and addiction services and improving income support. These measures aim not only to address homelessness but also strengthen the economic and social well-being of communities.