City of Brockville Issues Statement Regarding Emergency Shelter Services

Brockville – On Wednesday, December 17, Mayor and Council for the City of Brockville convened a Special Council Meeting to receive information from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG) regarding their plan for emergency shelter services in the coming months. The meeting was held to provide clarity for residents, to better understand the County Council’s decision not to provide additional funding to the Co-Operative Care Centre (CCC), and to review the measures in place to ensure community safety during the winter season.

The City of Brockville works in partnership with the UCLG through a Joint Services Agreement to support housing and shelter services within the county. Through this agreement, the City contributes funding and participates in committees that provide input and recommendations related to homelessness initiatives. Final decisions regarding service delivery, funding allocations, and agreements rest with the County Council. While the City actively supports and advocates for community needs, it does not directly operate shelter services and does not have authority over service agreements or operational decisions related to shelter providers.

The UCLG are the designated Service Manager for housing and homelessness within the county. In this role, the UCLG are responsible for planning, funding, and overseeing housing and shelter services, including entering into service agreements with organizations that deliver these services and ensuring that emergency shelter options are available.

The CCC is an independent service provider operating under a funding agreement with the UCLG. The governance and day-to-day operations of the CCC, including decisions related to its ongoing viability, rest with the organization itself.

Under the current agreement, the CCC committed to providing 24 shelter beds and one meal per day at $692,000 in funding per fiscal year. For the duration of April 2025 to March 31, 2026, the CCC has received a total of $868,208. In November, the CCC requested additional funding from the UCLG to continue operations. Following extensive review and discussion, the County Council determined that providing additional funding was not in the best interest of the broader community. Any decision regarding whether the CCC continues operating as a service provider remains with the organization’s leadership.

During the Special Council Meeting, Shanna Culhane, Director of Community and Social Services for the UCLG, presented their recently adopted 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan, along with immediate measures in place to support emergency shelter needs should the CCC choose to close.

These measures include:

• 23 beds are currently available through supportive housing units across the Counties.
• access to 15 motels/hotels with more than 30 rooms, with intensive case management support provided onsite
• and ongoing discussions with a third-party organization regarding the potential establishment of a warming centre to bridge service needs until the opening of the HART Hub. As these discussions are still underway, further details about the warming centre are not yet available.

Additional information on the UCLG’s 10-Year Housing and Homelessness Plan can be found at: https://www.leedsgrenville.com/en/services/10-year-housing—homelessness-plan.aspx

The City of Brockville remains confident in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville’s plan to provide emergency shelter options in the coming months and will continue to work collaboratively with county partners to support the safety and well-being of our community.

Mayor Matt Wren and the City of Brockville Council wish to acknowledge the Co-Operative Care Centre, the Brockville Housing Partnership, and the staff and volunteers who have worked to support individuals experiencing homelessness in our community over recent years. Their efforts have played an important role in providing care and support to vulnerable residents.