Essex county wants city to split homelessness hub shortfall

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Essex County will ask the City of Windsor to help split a $140,000 funding gap to avoid any disruptions at the Essex County Homelessness Hub in Leamington.

County council voted unanimously to send the request to the city and show a willingness to pay half the costs from reserves.

Earlier in the spring, county administration was informed by the City of Windsor that $70,0000, supplied through the federal Reaching Home funding stream, would no longer be available to the county.

Funding would support overnight programming at the hub for the 2026-2027. It was estimated that a failure to cover the shortfall would result in the loss of 60 consecutive days of overnight service beginning on July 1.

According to 2025 data, 16 people used the program on average per night during that same timeframe.

Tracey Bailey, the Mayor of Lakeshore, brought forward the motion to continue talks with the city.

Bailey noted property taxpayers cannot continue to be the “last resort” to address challenges driven by a lack of housing affordability and mental health supports.

“Essex County taxpayers are already facing significant affordability pressures of their own, and every additional cost added to the property tax base creates further financial insecurity for residents, families, seniors, businesses, and we cannot solve one problem by creating another,” Bailey said.

While there has been no reduction in the overall regional allocation available to Windsor, who serves as the regional service manager, Essex County staff noted they were informed all funding for the fiscal year had already been allocated.

On Tuesday, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens told reporters they must balance competing needs across the region using limited funding.

However, Hilda MacDonald, the county’s warden, took aim at the city’s 0 per cent tax increase this year, after it was mentioned by another member of county council.

“We just happen to be the people whose service gets declined this time. That’s what this is. Plain and simple. Because if you’re trying to cut, you’re going to go to places where it’s not seen as much. That’s what this is. Call a spade a spade,” MacDonald said.

The remainder of the shortfall is due to increased costs at the homelessness hub related to security services. Without an additional $70,000, the hub would be forced to close daytime services on weekends from July to the end of October.

The warden noted she spoke with Dilkens ahead of Wednesday’s meeting, who was unsure where the $70,000 would come from.

“This, to me, is just ludicrous that we’re even having this conversation. It’s $70,000,” MacDonald said.

“Shame on anybody that doesn’t want to pay that to help people stay out of the cold, out of the heat, to stay out of the bugs and to be safe.”

County staff plan to reach out to the city on Thursday about council’s request.