Providing a Grey County perspective to the AMO Municipalities Under Pressure Report

Ontario has seen a staggering increase in homelessness in recent years. A new report titled Municipalities Under Pressure: The Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis was issued by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association on January 9. For the first time, this report collected and analyzed data from all 47 consolidated municipal services managers in the province to fully illustrate the scope of the crisis. Report data demonstrates a systemic failure that extends beyond housing, reflecting deep gaps in healthcare, mental-health services, justice systems and more.

Grey County is experiencing similar trends to other rural communities across the province. Locally, in 2024, Grey County identified 375 individuals experiencing homelessness. Of these individuals, 65 identify as Indigenous, 80 are children 15 and under, and 45 are youth ages 16-24. Adults account for 252 of the individuals and seniors (65+) 8. 253 of individuals are experiencing chronic homelessness.

Grey County also provides subsidized housing and maintains a housing waitlist. The waitlist has grown from 1,517 in 2022 to 2,230 in 2024.

The report notes the disparities of those facing homelessness in rural communities compared to cities including shelter capacity and affordable housing shortages, specialized supports, urban inflow pressures and transportation barriers.

In 2024, funding for housing and homelessness in Ontario was estimated at $4.1 billion. Of the three levels of government, 51.5% of was funded by municipalities. Grey County has invested $6.55 million since 2022 in homelessness support with projects including the purchase and renovation of a property in Owen Sound for supportive housing and the purchase of a former motel for short-term emergency shelter.

In 2023 Grey County partnered with CMHA to offer transitional, supportive housing to residents of Grey County who have experienced chronic homelessness.  The first participants of the program moved in December 2023 and since that time seven have graduated to permanent, stable housing with ongoing connection to CMHA supports.  This program offers opportunities to build skills and work on personal goals with the objective of being successful in maintaining permanent housing and ending the cycle of homelessness. 

Grey County took a major step in providing expanded short-term housing options with our acquisition of a 22-room motel in Owen Sound in February of 2024. This acquisition has allowed for reduced operating costs, improved access to staff and supports on site and a higher level of dignity for community members experiencing homelessness. This expansion of program services will allow for an increase of 5,600 nights of accommodations bringing the total capacity to 13,000 nights of short-term accommodations with the same level of operating funding. 

In addition to the two facilities, Grey County provides funding to Safe N Sound Grey Bruce to operate an overnight warming space for up to 18 individuals nightly. This provides a supportive environment with staff on site providing referrals to services, someone to talk to and refreshments. These spaces throughout the course of the winter support more than 3,000 nights of warmth to members of our community. 

Over the course of 2024, Grey County staff and community partners supported 176 Households in exiting homelessness into stable accommodations, of those households 123 maintain those accommodations at the present time. 

Without significant investment and coordination across all three levels of government, it will not be possible to scale up the infrastructure needed to create a system where homelessness is rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Ontario’s homelessness crisis is significant, but it is not unresolvable. The AMO report determines an investment of $11 billion over 10 years is what is needed to achieve a functional zero level of chronic homelessness in the province. With the right investments and continued collaboration, the province can build a system that ensures every Ontarian has a place to call home, strengthening the resilience and well-being of communities for generations to come.

Looking ahead, Grey County has committed $3 million to support Lutheran Social Services Owen Sound with an affordable housing build in Owen Sound. Grey County is also working to build 40 units of affordable housing in Dundalk. Both projects are contingent on provincial funding.

“Grey County cannot end chronic homelessness without significant contributions from the federal and provincial governments. We need a fundamentally new approach that prioritizes long-term housing solutions over temporary emergency measures, and adequate funding support to create solutions for our county’s rural and town communities,” said Grey County Warden Andrea Matrosovs.

Resources

AMO Media Release

Municipalities Under Pressure: The Human and Financial Cost of Ontario’s Homelessness Crisis

Report Summary

Contacts:

Grey County
Rob Hatten, Communications Manager
rob.hatten [at] grey.ca (rob[dot]hatten[at]grey[dot]ca)
519-372-0219

Association of Municipalities of Ontario
Brian Lambie, AMO Media Contact
rob.hatten [at] grey.ca (lambie[at]redbrick[dot]ca)
416-729-5425 

Additional Images:

The former Diamond Inn, Grey County's 22-room short-term emergency shelter site. 

Grey County supportive housing facility in Owen Sound.