Open a proper homeless shelter in Bancroft, Ontario
Open a proper homeless shelter in Bancroft, Ontario
The Issue
An open letter to Hastings County Council, North Hastings Safety and Wellness Committee, Municipality of Hastings Highlands Council, Town of Bancroft, Township of Carlow/Mayo Council, Township of Faraday Council, Township of Limerick Council, Township of Tudor and Cashel Council, and Township of Wollaston Council.
We echo the calls made by the Meals for the Unhoused organization (Link, pages 5 to 8), and call on Hastings County to provide support to our unhoused neighbours in the form of a permanent shelter 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The days of using a trailer to deliver critical shelters in winter only must end.
Rates of homelessness and poverty are rising and, in May 2025, were described by Hastings County as “alarming”. North Hastings Community Cupboard recently reported a 100% rise in meals served in the past two years. Hastings County’s 2024 Homelessness Enumeration Report (linked here) reported a rate of homelessness in North Hastings at 3.47 per 1,000 people, more than double the rate (1.44 per 1,000 people) in Hastings County.
We are pleased that Hastings County has secured a permanent location providing such services. Yet, we must alert you to our serious concern about providing services in a trailer. Trailers are not the normal nor the dignified way to provide any essential community services. With specific regard to supporting people without housing, the trailer lacks the space and the features needed to provide the range of services to a rapidly growing population. For these reasons, the trailer has remained underused, in stark contrast to the weekend warming centre that was housed in the Anglican Church this winter. The welcoming environment saw significantly higher levels of use than the trailer.
Our unhoused neighbours must be afforded the same level of dignity that all other community service users expect, to receive government services in a permanent and suitable structure. As a matter of ethics, dignity, equality and with respect to accessibility and the necessity to provide the proper range of services we:
- Call to Hastings County to provide a shelter in a permanent building, with the full range of expected services; and
- Call on municipalities in North Hastings to echo this call.
Tracking of Council Members who pledge to support will be updated here:
781
The Issue
An open letter to Hastings County Council, North Hastings Safety and Wellness Committee, Municipality of Hastings Highlands Council, Town of Bancroft, Township of Carlow/Mayo Council, Township of Faraday Council, Township of Limerick Council, Township of Tudor and Cashel Council, and Township of Wollaston Council.
We echo the calls made by the Meals for the Unhoused organization (Link, pages 5 to 8), and call on Hastings County to provide support to our unhoused neighbours in the form of a permanent shelter 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The days of using a trailer to deliver critical shelters in winter only must end.
Rates of homelessness and poverty are rising and, in May 2025, were described by Hastings County as “alarming”. North Hastings Community Cupboard recently reported a 100% rise in meals served in the past two years. Hastings County’s 2024 Homelessness Enumeration Report (linked here) reported a rate of homelessness in North Hastings at 3.47 per 1,000 people, more than double the rate (1.44 per 1,000 people) in Hastings County.
We are pleased that Hastings County has secured a permanent location providing such services. Yet, we must alert you to our serious concern about providing services in a trailer. Trailers are not the normal nor the dignified way to provide any essential community services. With specific regard to supporting people without housing, the trailer lacks the space and the features needed to provide the range of services to a rapidly growing population. For these reasons, the trailer has remained underused, in stark contrast to the weekend warming centre that was housed in the Anglican Church this winter. The welcoming environment saw significantly higher levels of use than the trailer.
Our unhoused neighbours must be afforded the same level of dignity that all other community service users expect, to receive government services in a permanent and suitable structure. As a matter of ethics, dignity, equality and with respect to accessibility and the necessity to provide the proper range of services we:
- Call to Hastings County to provide a shelter in a permanent building, with the full range of expected services; and
- Call on municipalities in North Hastings to echo this call.
Tracking of Council Members who pledge to support will be updated here:
781
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on 6 June 2025