Cobourg homeless shelter bylaw could leave ‘very vulnerable population’ in cold
A stalemate of sorts between Cobourg and Northumberland County is significantly impacting the ability to provide services to those experiencing homelessness in the community, a spokesperson for Transition House told county council Wednesday morning.
“We are urging county council to take steps to work with the town to get (Cobourg’s Emergency Care Establishment bylaw) repealed, or at a minimum, to defer its effective date so some serious discussion can occur about the appropriate revisions to those bylaws or amendments to those bylaws, so that we can ensure the continuity of services to this very vulnerable population in the county,” solicitor Emma Blanchard said, on behalf of Transition House.
Blanchard called Cobourg’s licensing and application process “onerous” and pointed to “very expensive application requirements contemplated in that bylaw.”
For the most part, the issue centres on a move made late last year by Transition House — with assistance from the county — to establish a 35-bedroom emergency shelter at 310 Division St. in Cobourg. The neighbourhood, just a few blocks north of the historic downtown core, is largely residential.
The county issued a release in December stating it was partnering with Transition House — the designated shelter operator — on “a new facility to modernize shelter services and address community need,” purchasing the former Cobourg Retirement Residence at 310 Division St. for $2.3 million. Last month, the county received almost $2.5 million in provincial funding toward the project.
But news of the shelter raised the ire of nearby residents and businesses, as well as Cobourg council.
Physiotherapist Jeff Crowley and chiropractic partner Hillary Allen, who co-own the Cobourg Orthopedic and Sports Injury Clinic across from 310 Division St., were at Cobourg council early, urging it to follow Whitby’s lead in integrating a proposed homeless shelter into a well-established business and residential neighbourhood.
In that case, Whitby called for a developed code of conduct for shelter occupants inside the facility, as well as in the surrounding community, with consequences for not abiding by it.
Other provisions included 24/7 onsite private security and mobile private security patrols in the neighbourhood of the shelter day and night for enhanced security for residents and shelter occupants.
In February, Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland made it clear to the county that any agreement allowing Northumberland County to operate a homeless shelter within the town must address the issue of extra expenses incurred by the town.
“When a shelter like this is put into a community, there are increased expenses for that community,” he told county council. “Why are we using Cobourg tax dollars to fund our police to provide social service delivery in Cobourg when that should be the responsibility of the county?”
Cobourg council subsequently established and passed its Emergency Care Establishment bylaw requiring — among other stipulations — 24/7 security onsite and within 500 metres, a code of conduct for shelter occupants that aligns with the town’s nuisance bylaw. It also called for a maintenance schedule for items like litter and waste accumulation within 500 metres of a shelter facility and a local 24/7 contact who is available to respond to matters involving the facility within one hour for any issue.
As well, the bylaw calls for shelter directors or officers to be personally liable for the adherence to the bylaw, including occupants’ behaviour off site.
The county had asked Cobourg to delay implementing the bylaw to allow for negotiations between the town and the shelter operators, but the town chose simply to receive that request for information purposes.
The bylaw, which went into effect just over a month ago, puts serious restraints on how Transition House — which has operated in the community since 1999 — can continue to operate in Cobourg, Blanchard told county council on Wednesday. It echoed some issues raised in a recent letter to Cobourg council from the Ontario Human Rights chief commissioner.
“This is not the time for barriers to delivery of those vital services,” Blanchard said Wednesday.
The service agreement between the county and Transition House doesn’t include many of the requirements spelled out in the town’s shelter bylaw, and Transition House is not currently in a position to meet many of the requirements, she added.
“Transition House has always worked hard to comply with all of the laws and bylaws that apply to it and it’s working diligently to develop a plan which will allow it to remain compliant,” Blanchard said.
“But so far, it’s been unable to complete an application for a licence with the town or obtain one. As currently drafted, the bylaw appears to expose employees and volunteers, and members of the board of directors and others participating in the operation of the facility, to prosecution by the town, or penalties for noncompliance,” Blanchard added.
She said given all of that, Transition House’s view is that the bylaw poses a significant risk to its ability to continue to operate in Cobourg.
Neither of county council’s two members from Cobourg — Mayor Lucas and Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty — chose to address Blanchard’s presentation at Wednesday’s meeting.
Cobourg council’s next meeting is set for April 24 at 6 p.m.
Transition House’s view is that the bylaw poses a significant risk to its ability to continue to operate in Cobourg