Northern homelessness services facing deep cutbacks on federal funding
Social services in the north are bracing for deep funding cuts to homelessness services and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus is calling on the federal government to explain why it is scaling back at a time when the north is facing a social disaster.
Angus spoke in the House of Commons this week asking why the government is telling municipalities to get set for "dramatic cuts" to the ‘Reaching Home’ program while at the same time touting more investments for homelessness in this year’s budget.
One of the homeless shelters funded by the program is the Living Space in Timmins.
According to Angus, Cochrane District social services was told its funding is being cut by 52 per cent; Sault Ste. Marie is expecting a 60 per cent cut and both Sudbury and Nipissing are looking at a 70 per cent reduction.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
"We need everybody calling on the federal government, calling on their employees to clarify what's going on. You're announcing money in the budget, but is that money actually going to come to northern Ontario or are you just going to continue the cuts," Angus said.
"Because the cuts have been laid out, they're drastic. They will be devastating and agencies are having to make choices now based on what they've been told to do."
The homelessness crisis needs more funding and municipalities need clarification, the MP added.
CTV News reached out to the Cochrane District Social Services Administration Board officials and while they confirmed the cutback, they were unavailable for comment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Canadian border workers vote in favour of possible strike: union
Border workers have voted in favour of a strike mandate which could lead to 'significant disruptions' to the flow of goods, services and people through Canadian ports of entry, their union said Friday morning.
BREAKING World Court orders Israel to halt assault on Gaza's Rafah
Judges at the top United Nations court ordered Israel on Friday to halt its military assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, in a landmark emergency ruling on South Africa's case accusing Israel of genocide.
BREAKING Toddler dies after being struck by recycling truck in Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood
A toddler has died after being struck by a recycling truck in a Barrie, Ont. neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.
Milk sold in Canadian stores tested for avian flu: Results of 303 samples
As avian flu spreads south of the border, Canadian officials are now testing samples of milk sold in grocery stores across the country.
Ontario patients visiting emergency rooms out of fear of being booted by family doctor
Ontario patients are now visiting emergency departments out of fear of being de-rostered from their doctor’s office – a loophole that results in hospitals dealing with non-urgent cases, and disrupts continuity of care paramount to family medicine, according to health-care experts.
Top Russian military officials are being arrested. Why is it happening?
It began last month with the arrest of a Russian deputy defense minister. Then the head of the ministry’s personnel directorate was hauled into court. This week, two more senior military officials were detained. All face charges of corruption, which they have denied.
Outdated rules and mounting losses: Can anything be done to fix Canada Post?
Canada Post needs drastic measures to staunch the fiscal bleeding and revamp its operations after a tough decade, experts say.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.