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Oxford County Reviews Homelessness Funding

Friday, 28 June 2024 06:12

By Kyle Freel X @KFreelHeartFM

Photo Credit: Damian Dudek

Oxford County Council looked over a report about homelessness prevention funding earlier this week.

OXFORD COUNTY - Oxford County is still trying to deal with the area of homelessness.

At their latest council meeting, they discussed the money given to them by the province from the Homelessness Prevention Program. Warden, Marcus Ryan explains how much was received.

"They provided to Oxford County as the housing service provider an additional $1.2 million last year, which brings it up to $3 million, and we are very grateful for that money coming from the province to address homeless prevention in Oxford County."

Ryan says the County gives about 86 percent of the money to external community partners who try and help those who are homeless or could become homeless. Those partners include Operation Sharing, The Inn, The Lighthouse, Mental Health and Addictions Supports, and Oxford Community Health Services.

Ryan says that there is another issue that needs to be looked at as well.

"So, what we really need is the province in addition to giving us money for our community partners to address this, we really need health care supports, in the form of mental health and substance misuse and addiction supports. If people don't have those issues addressed, providing them housing isn't going to solve the problem."

He mentions health care is not a municipal government responsibility, but housing is. Ryan says that the County spends more than twice what the Provincial and Federal governments do on affordable housing in Oxford.

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