Tag: Homelessness

Transition House Licensed

John Draper

In February of this year, Council passed a By-Law which required Emergency Care establishments like Transition House to be licensed.  This applies to both the current Transition house on Chapel Street and their new location at 310 Division Street.  Without any public announcement, the Town’s web site indicates that Transition House is now licensed.  The licence is for one year: valid from July 17, 2024 to July 17, 2025.  Presumably when Transition House moves in September, the licence will transfer to that location.  The licence requirements are quite stringent but do not cover costs to the Town – Transition House serves the entire county but is located in Cobourg. Summarized below are some of the requirements which Transition House must… Read complete articleTransition House Licensed

Town and County have 310 Division agreement ready for approval

John Draper

An announcement by the County on Tuesday, June 18, provides details of a proposed agreement between the Town and the County on how the new Transition House at 310 Division should be managed.  There are some significant changes (outlined below) but the Town does not appear to be backing down on the requirements set out in their by-law on the issue.  Also announced was an update on renovations at the facility. However, some will be disappointed that Transition House WILL be relocating to 310 Division and that there is no explicit recognition of community concerns that although there is general sympathy for the homeless, the potential residents of Transition House include drug addicts and others who do not get community… Read complete articleTown and County have 310 Division agreement ready for approval

Statement by Warden Brian Ostrander about recent online commentary

John Draper

In the interest of reporting all sides of a news story, I am reporting on a statement issued by the Warden of Northumberland County about the encampment. It’s good to get an update from the County – the following text is provided unedited from Warden Ostrander’s statement issued at 1:18 pm on June 14. Northumberland continues to face the significant challenge of rising homelessness. Today, like communities across the province, we are witnessing the convergence of multiple crises – an opioid addiction crisis, a housing affordability crisis, and the residual effects of a global pandemic, including a dramatic rise in the overall cost of living. These issues have been building for years, and people have been hard hit. This reality… Read complete articleStatement by Warden Brian Ostrander about recent online commentary

County Report on Homelessness

John Draper

The annual “Housing and Homelessness report” was presented today (June 5) at the Social Services Committee meeting. The report provides details on the number of people looking for affordable housing plus what the County is doing about that.  The report states that “the waitlist for social housing continues to be 10 years in some communities and has grown more than 300% in the last 10 years, with over 1,100 households on the waitlist. In 2023, the average vacancy rate in Northumberland was 1.3%. This vacancy rate is close to the 2023 provincial average of 1.7%.”  The report lists the new housing being built and lists buying 310 Division as an accomplishment but does not mention the encampment.  It’s as if… Read complete articleCounty Report on Homelessness

Police Chief reports on Shopping Cart Retrieval Project

John Draper

On the Victoria Day holiday, Chief Paul VandeGraaf issued three Press Releases updating Police actions on their “Dynamic Patrol” as part of their “Downtown Action Plan”. One reported that 83 stolen shopping carts were recovered, 53 of these were from the encampment; the second reported an arrest of a woman with a stolen Winners cart containing stolen property; the third reported the arrest of a woman shoplifting downtown. More details are available below. These all happened on May 18 and 19. From this we can be assured that Police are active on weekends and that the shopping cart retrieval project has been successful with a large number retrieved from the encampment. No charges were laid relating to the retrieval of… Read complete articlePolice Chief reports on Shopping Cart Retrieval Project

Police Chief reports on Encampment

John Draper

It’s not known why Police don’t issue useful reports on what’s happening with the homeless encampment but as reported on Pete Fisher’s web site, occasionally Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf does report to interested groups. On May 8, the Chief spoke to residents at Retirement home Palisade Gardens which is not far from the encampment. Pete’s report is long and comprehensive and I recommend reading it (see Resources below) but I will report on the highlights. Chief VandeGraaf spoke about no longer feeling safe downtown, is there in fact more crime now, why don’t Police kick people out of the encampment, why aren’t people who are acting crazy arrested, what’s happening with the Dynamic Patrol and more about the shopping cart… Read complete articlePolice Chief reports on Encampment

International Harm Reduction Day – 7 May

John Draper

A Press Release issued today by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) District Health Unit on behalf of the HKLN Drug Strategy (Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland Drug Strategy) says that they recognize May 7 as “International Harm Reduction Day”.  The group called HKLN Drug Strategy promotes “evidence-based policies, practices and programs to reduce the social, legal and health-related harms associated with substance use”. They work towards “the reduction of the stigma associated with substance use” and “reducing substance use-related harms to individuals and communities, without discontinuing substance use itself.”  But with a focus on drug users, there seems to be no concern for people hurt by the behaviour of drug users – for example friends and family members or victims… Read complete articleInternational Harm Reduction Day – 7 May

Cobourg asks Province to comply with By-Laws at Brookside

John Draper

The encampment at Brookside seems to be growing with cars, boats and trailers now parked alongside the tents and the Province has done nothing to enforce Cobourg’s by-laws on the property.  But now, Mayor Cleveland has written to the Province asking that “they take the necessary steps to become compliant with all municipal by-laws and regulations within the jurisdiction of the Town of Cobourg for the property at 390 King Street East, the former Brookside Youth Centre Property.”  According to an announcement from the Town, the Letter from Mayor Cleveland “addresses the health and safety of the property, lack of maintenance and adherence to community standards.”  The announcement explains the legal reasons that mean that Cobourg’s “Municipal Law Enforcement Department… Read complete articleCobourg asks Province to comply with By-Laws at Brookside