A funding request for almost $200,000 from the St. Thomas emergency shelter, The Inn, was unanimously approved last month by city council.
However an additional ask for ongoing financial assistance to address longer-term needs at the shelter was referred to the city’s 2025 budget deliberations which will begin before the end of the year.
Coun. Steve Wookey remarked The Inn “. . . is a real asset to our city and we have not really had to do much for this.
“This has been run by a wonderful group and they need our support. It would be a disservice to all the good things that are happening if we didn’t do this.
“There is quite a bit of merit to this (funding request).”
Coun. Steve Peters questioned whether Elgin county had been approached to contribute financially.
Danielle Neilson, Manager of Housing Stability Services advised the city is in a cost-sharing arrangement with the county for all social service provisions, so there is an ongoing contribution from them.”
She added, “We can certainly look at your question and have a conversation with the county and that should absolutely be considered when we look at potentially putting a request before council for an ongoing contribution.”
