Getting basic needs to homeless encampments is taking three times longer after Council closed stationary depots

It's taking three times longer to provide basic needs to encampments after council closed stationary service depots. CTV London's Daryl Newcombe reports.

Meals, water, hygiene products, and social supports are taking much longer to reach Londoners living in encampments after a decision by city council to switch to a mobile delivery model.

“Unfortunately, our team right now is really working on supporting individuals to survive to the next day,” explained Chantelle McDonald, Director of Service for London Cares. “We should be working with individuals for their housing needs, their medical needs and their wraparound support to be well.”

Since July 2023, those lifesaving supports were provided at stationary service depots set up each day within encampments.

London Cares could serve 50 people during a one-hour period at the stationary depots.

The new mobile delivery model requires small teams to crisscross the city in a vehicle, then walk tent to tent offering supplies and supports.

It’s far less efficient.

“A service depot location that once took us an hour is now taking three hours,” McDonald told CTV News. “So it takes a lot more of staff capacity and time.”

The new mobile model also puts homeless people at risk of missing the delivery of services if they aren’t at their tent when a team from London Cares arrives.

“How [stationary depots] were originally set up, our window was the same consistent time each day. So individuals knew when we were coming,” McDonald said. “With mobile service people won’t know when we’re coming, so we might not have the opportunity to engage with them. We may have fewer engagements due to food safety concerns, travel time, and meeting individuals where they’re at.”

A previous City Council decision directed that stationary service depots be closed and a mobile model launched by May 1.

Stationary Service Depots that included portable toilets were criticized by neighbours for attracting more tents and make-shift structures within the encampments.

The higher concentration of homeless Londoners near the depot locations, including Watson Street Park and Evergreen Park, have been significant concerns for neighbours.

However, McDonald worries outreach teams could lose contact with people who choose to relocate out of desperation, “It might move people around the community, which is really unfortunate because then we lose where they are and we can’t provide service to them anymore.”

Four days after the portable toilets were removed from Watson Street Park and Chelsea Green Park - the large encampments show no sign of relocating.

“Some encampments within our community are quite stabilized, and I’m not sure if [the changes] will actually move them,” McDonald explained.

“There has been an opportunity within the challenges that we’re having,” she added about teams visiting each tent individually. “It allows for a bit more privacy to talk to people about housing needs, medical concerns, and what they need for service.”

On May 1, City Hall opened seasonal washrooms in municipal parks.

The mobile service model will include portable toilets being rotated between several locations chosen by city hall.