The pandemic has made the homelessness situation in the Sault even worse over the last two-plus years, including a number of encampments popping up in different parts of the city
More shelter beds, additional street outreach and short-term loaning of money to people struggling to pay rent and utilities are three recommendations made recently to the local social services administration board to help combat housing and homelessness issues in Sault Ste. Marie.The District of Sault Ste.
Although there are dollar amounts attached to some aspects of the review, there is currently no request for funding to implement the recommendations from either the province or city. “Since the encampments started there have been a whole lot of disruptions to the system,” said Nadeau. ”Now that we are starting to get out of the pandemic, the impact of the pandemic doesn’t go away for marginalized people, unfortunately.”
Although adding the 80 supportive beds would require an additional $4.8 million in annual funding, Nadeau said in a report to the board that studies have shown providing permanent supportive housing is less costly than sustaining people in homelessness. OrgCode also recommended expanding on the current Downtown Ambassador pilot program, which is a partnership between the City of Sault Ste. Marie and CMHA, to go further and offer robust street outreach across the entire community.
Another idea put forward in the recommendations is an expansion of the DSSAB’s rent and utility bank to $250,000 annually to help prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place.
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