Demands of the City of Barrie and the County of Simcoe
This list of demands is created as a list we can hold the City of Barrie and County of Simcoe accountable to. We know that some work is being done already. We want to hear from the City of Barrie what is being done, and we want their support to require the same level of accountability from the County.
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Download the PDF of Who We Are, Background, Our Demands, and Our Demands in More Detail here.
Media Release - September 19, 2022
Updates (July 2023)
Several steps have been taken to address the issues outlined in our 8 demands in the last 10 months:
- In November 2022, the County of Simcoe began a Homeless System Review, resulting in a report with 40 recommendations released in April 2023. Here are the staff report, consultant report, and list of recommendations. (Demand 5)
- In April 2023, the province of Ontario also increased Simcoe County's Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) funding by $9.6M, giving County staff additional funds to use to implement the recommendations.
- In June 2023, the County of Simcoe released a Homelessness Prevention Strategy 10-point plan with a focus on outcomes-based programs, increasing supportive housing options, increasing rent subsidy amounts, and enhancing shelter standards. (Demand 6,7)
- As part of the City of Barrie May 17, 2023 motion regarding homelessness services, supports, and bylaws, $825,000 was allocated each year for two years to, among other things, support both warming and cooling centres. An RFP for a cooling centre went out in June 2023, with Gilbert Centre being awarded funding to expand their drop-in program to a daytime cooling centre for the rest of summer 2023. The intention is also to having a warming centre in place before fall. These centres are not contingent on specific temperatures, operating every day. (Demand 3)