BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected] or via the website. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to a story titled 'Upcoming symposium aims to educate community on homelessness,' published Sept. 9, 2024.
St. Mary's Church in Barrie hosted its first symposium to educate the community on homelessness in the city on Sept. 23.
The event, which featured guest speakers from Barrie and Simcoe County agencies as well as an audience of more than 400 engaged citizens, is what organizers are calling an “overwhelming success.”
During the evening, Father Larry Léger, the pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, introduced the two sides to the issue: charitable works, which includes outreach, meal programs etc., focusing on immediate and basic needs of individuals; and social justice, which includes advocacy, ways to improve the conditions by determining and eliminating the root causes.
He then asked the audience what their concerns were about the lack of adequate affordable housing in the city. Organizers have reported that the responses ranged from concerns that children were suffering from unaffordability; the inalienable right to adequate housing for all; physical and mental health and safety concerns especially in encampments; government inaction, especially at the federal and provincial levels; transitional housing needs; as well as the importance of housing as the foundation to dignity and identity.
The evening included guest speakers Bradley Spiewak and Laura McCallum from the County of Simcoe, which, as the designated housing service manager for the region, is responsible for planning, funding and managing social housing programs
Busby Centre executive director Sara Peddle was also on hand to speak to the group, sharing with the crowd how shelters are meant to be temporary housing and not permanent residences.
She also explained how the centre is required to comply with strict county standards for its operation; how staff must assess and triage those wishing to use its facilities and how staff struggle having to turn people away as there are never enough beds to go around.
The Barrie Homelessness & Housing Justice Network's Rev. Dr. Susan Eagle also took to the podium to discuss the multidisciplinary network of homelessness and housing advocates promoting the right to housing and elimination of chronic homelessness and to share information on the human rights legislation and Canada’s National Housing Strategy Act.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Mel Hinch explained the organization’s direct contact with the poor and how people rely on the $25 food cards in a program with Barrie’s Giant Tiger stores.
Funding for that, she explained, comes completely from St. Mary’s parishioners’ donations, noting that while many use the local food bank for assistance, that often doesn’t go far enough, and the organization is asked to help fill the gap.
Everyone present was able to engage in challenging questions, and it was apparent that the time is right for more direct action for those experiencing homelessness.
Ancillary concerns included employment, affordability, mental and physical health, while drug and alcohol abuse bare equal consideration. Advocacy includes an action sequence involving governments at all levels as well as communities and individuals who not only see the need but are willing to act.
Band aids do not work. Collectively, we have the desire and ability to make this happen.
Alastair MacLeod
St. Mary's Catholic Church, justice and advocacy committee member
