The city of Ottawa is in the process of establishing a novel task force to grapple with the critical situation of urgent shelter usage that pertains to the capital. This action comes as a response to apprehensions that warn of the potential “overwhelm” that the shelter system may undergo during the forthcoming winter.
At a recent public address, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe declared the appointment of councillors Marty Carr, Allan Hubley, Stephanie Plante, and Ariel Troster to the newly-formed team, the ‘Emergency Shelter Crisis Taskforce’, joining the existing city administrative personnel.
With the cold months on the horizon, Mayor Sutcliffe underlined the city’s pressing necessity for more physical distancing centers and supplementary spaces for folks to find refuge and rest. “As winter approaches, we need to ensure that our fellow townsfolk have a warm enclosure to evade the harsh weather elements,” he expressed emphatically.
The city’s statistics reveal compelling numbers to substantiate the city’s present apprehensions. In the first quarter of 2023, there were over 700 single adults who were utilizing the shelter system of Ottawa. An alarming projection places that figure at over 900 for the upcoming winter season.
Mayor Sutcliffe expressed shared concerns about the readiness of the city’s shelter system to accommodate the surge during the brutal winter months, given its current maxed-out capacity. Currently, Ottawa has an estimated 280 residents classified as homeless.
The role of the task force is not limited to the city boundaries but will also extend its reach to work symbiotically with the federal government. This collaboration aims to identify new dwelling places for recent immigrants to Canada, necessitated to avoid their dependence on Ottawa’s crammed shelter system. The mayor elucidated the data indicating a significant proportion of the occupants of Ottawa’s shelters are newcomers to Canada, including refugee claimants and those in search of asylum.
Mayor Sutcliffe added, “I’ve gathered that around two-thirds of the individuals in our shelter system have recently immigrated to Canada. We adhere to a policy in Ottawa where we never turn anyone away—there are people journeying to our city seeking shelter from external regions.”
Local authorities argue that the task force will ensure city officials can act swiftly in response to emergent needs, bolstered by the support and approval of the services functioning in Ottawa. Asserting the urgency of the situation, city councillor Dudas commented, “This is an all hands on deck scenario—a dire situation that we must act upon to protect vulnerable people from sleeping on the cold streets.”
A call for more support has been echoed by Matthew House Ottawa, an organization that offers aid to refugee claimants. Allan Reesor-McDowell, the executive director, emphasized the need for more organizational capacity to cater to the increasing demand, thereby avoiding the overcrowding of emergency shelters.
With a primary priority of finding spaces for the homeless, the task force will be exploring potential sites within the city and private sectors, as well as the potential transformation of public spaces into makeshift shelters during the winter season.
In the midst of mounting challenges, Peter Tilley, CEO of Ottawa Mission, sees promise in the new task force, describing it as a significant step to ‘get things done’ and offer real help during the harsh winter months.
