Homelessness
Councillor Carr posts questions for MPP roundtable meeting
- Ghosting the Council: Will you finally provide written responses to the various resolutions and letters the City has sent your offices over the last few years? Also, why the long silence?
- Consultation Gaps: Since recent housing bills were passed with almost no input from local leaders, will you commit to actually consulting with municipalities before passing laws that affect them?
- The “Broken” Healthcare System: Many residents feel “Health Care Connect” is a black hole where patients are forgotten. What is the province’s plan to fix this reputation and prove the system actually works?
- The 15,000-Patient Gap: Belleville has 15,000 residents without a doctor, but only 1,000 are on your official “Connect” list. How do you plan to find and help those other 14,000 people by your 2029 deadline?
- Doctor Recruitment: Should the city stop offering its own financial incentives to recruit doctors and just rely on the province’s “Health Care Connect” system?
- Trail Expansion: Do you support the North Riverfront Trail extension under Highway 401 and will you help secure the necessary provincial approvals?
- Homelessness Resources: Since current provincial programs aren’t slowing the homelessness crisis, what specific steps are you taking to get more resources for Belleville?
- Mental Health & Addictions: Provincial investment isn’t meeting the local demand for mental health and substance abuse support—how are you advocating for better results?
- Stagnant Funding: Homelessness funding has been frozen at $6.1M for three years; do you honestly think this is enough given that the number of unhoused people is rising?
- The “$10 Rule”: Why has the provincial allocation for discretionary benefits (OW/ODSP) remained unchanged at $10 per case for over 30 years?
- Housing Cuts: With OPHI housing funding set to end by 2028, what are you doing to prevent the loss of these subsidies that keep people in affordable rentals?
- Public Health Costs: Should the province pay a larger share of Public Health costs, since healthcare is technically a provincial responsibility?
- Developer Accountability: New laws made it faster and cheaper for developers to get approvals, yet they are sitting on land without building. How will you hold them accountable?
- The $7.5 Million Shortfall: Provincial housing bills caused Belleville to lose millions in development fees. How will you ensure the province fulfills its promise to make the city “whole” (reimburse the lost revenue)?
2025 Q1 Built for Zero Report Card
- 291 People are currently experiencing homelessness in Hastings County.
- 135 People have been experiencing homelessness for six months or longer.
- 25 People became chronically homeless.
- 11 People got back in touch after having become inactive (not heard from in 90 days).
- 4 Person lost their housing.
- 22 People moved into housing
- 32 People lost touch
2024 Q4 Built for Zero Report Card
- 262 People are currently experiencing homelessness in Hastings County.
- 149 People have been experiencing homelessness for six months or longer.
- 33 People became chronically homeless.
- 7 People got back in touch after having become inactive (not heard from in 90 days).
- 6 Person lost their housing.
- 11 People moved into housing
- 27 People lost touch
Belleville says individuals using Overnight Warming Centre are encouraged to sleep
The overnight warming centre operated by Hastings County will be located within the grandstands building at the former Quinte Exhibition grounds (240 Bridge St. West) for the winter season. The centre will open on Dec. 1 and operate between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., seven nights a week until March 31, 2025. Security will be on site 24/7. During the day, individuals are encouraged to utilize public facilities to stay warm.
Please note that this is a warming centre for individuals to come in from the cold. Beds and meals are not provided. Those seeking other social service supports are encouraged to contact Hastings County Community and Human Services at 613-771-9630 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or the after-hours emergency line at 1-877-528-9514 between 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. for more information on services provided.
Please remember to check on those who are living alone during extreme temperatures.
In an answer to comments on Facebook, the City confirmed that the individuals can sleep at the Overnight Warming Centre:
No beds are provided, however, those using the warming centre can bring a sleeping bag and are encouraged to sleep. The rumour that there is a rule that you are not allowed to sleep at the warming centre is not true.