A homelessness action plan has been given the green light by Lambton County Council.
He told council a total of 490 units, ranging from affordable to supportive housing, are needed locally at five staff-identified sites on Victoria Street and Kathleen Avenue in Sarnia and on Ontario Street in Wyoming.
"That number is really much larger, maybe in the 800s, so this would be the start of a momentum in that direction," said Cubitt.
His presentation followed one by former city/county councillor and warden Bev MacDougall who said keeping people housed is paramount to the health of the community.
"I could cry six times a day looking at people just barely existing, and that's not enough," said MacDougall. "It's not enough for me, and it's not enough for you. We can't keep our neighbourhoods strong, and we can't keep people with hope when every place you look you see trouble."
Cubitt said the lack of available, safe, and affordable housing options combined with the opioid crisis is making for longer community housing waitlists, and puts a strain on social cohesion.
He said the proposed action plan as presented would cost over $143 million to bring to fruition, with the help of loans, grants, donations and senior government funding.
"The key for dealing with homelessness and supportive housing particularly is that your tenants really have very, very little income, ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program), OW (Ontario Works) would be typical incomes," he said. "So, finding the resources to cover the cost of construction has to come from public sources. We don't want to see that be onerous on the municipal level. Attracting provincial and federal investments is key."
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley's motion to speed up the multi-year-plan to 18 months, for what he called a rapid response to a crisis, was approved.
County staff will report back to council with additional information including the estimated operating costs for each development and seek approval for individual projects at a future date.
