Nearby businesses concerned as Sudbury concentrates homeless services at Energy Court

As Greater Sudbury plans to expand homeless services to a site on Energy Court, businesses in the area are concerned about the impact on them.

Many businesses near Lorne Street and Energy Court in Greater Sudbury overlook a growing homeless encampment where hundreds of people live in tents.

Earlier this year, the city announced it would be concentrating its efforts to help the vulnerable population in a site on Energy Court, which includes a trailer that was used to house the safe consumption site until it was closed.

While reluctant to speak publicly, many of the nearby businesses are feeling the impact of having the encampment sprout up in their backyards.

“I know it’s a sensitive topic,” said Ward 1 Coun. Mark Signoretti, whose ward includes those businesses.

“We’re trying to make it work for everyone in this case here.”

Earlier this month, the city said the trailer on Energy Court will become a 24/7 warming centre, offering extra services through GoGive Project.

The city calls it a 24-hour Social Services Hub, but the news has been concerning for the businesses near the site.

Signoretti said it’s a balancing act between helping the vulnerable, while also reassuring businesses their livelihood won’t be impacted.

“There’ll be safety, there will be security. So, it’s not going to be carte blanche,” he said.

“It’s transitional. We want to help the vulnerable, but we also want to understand the needs of the business owners that are surrounding the area, and we want to make sure it doesn’t impact their businesses.”

Several businesses CTV News contacted declined to comment on the record.

One owner who spoke off the record said the cost of having the encampment nearby has translated into a need for security, increased vandalism, a loss of customers and damage to their business’s reputation.

“They’re concerned about the safety. They understand the need for services to help out the individuals that need those services, but they just want to make sure that it doesn’t affect their businesses,” Signoretti said.

“They also have to make a living and make sure their patrons are safe when they go into their establishments.”

Moving the problem

The affected businesses are just outside the boundary covered by the Downtown Sudbury Business Improvement Area, which has had its own challenges with the vulnerable population.

“In no way does the Downtown Sudbury BIA want to move one problem we’re experiencing here to another area of town,” said BIA co-chair Kendra MacIsaac.

MacIsaac said expanding services to Energy Court is a Band-Aid on the problem rather than a solution.

She wants all levels of government to work together to find a long-term, sustainable solution “to support the many vulnerable that we have in our community.’

“By relocating a lot of the services to one area, sort of a one-stop shop for the vulnerable to access, I think, is the right move,” MacIsaac said.

“Whether Energy Court is that long-term solution, I can’t comment. But again, I think that all levels of government would have to come together to look at what that is.”

Given the concerns circulating, a representative with the GoGive Project told CTV News they plan to reach out to reassure the businesses near the new Social Services Hub.

The warming centre and extra support on Energy Court will begin Nov. 1 and will run until the end of April.

Signoretti said that if the expanded services affect businesses in that area, he wants to hear from them.