OrilliaMatters 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 letter about tiny homes, published Feb. 24.
While I support the spirit of the idea, it requires more than just opening the doors to tiny homes to solve the problem.
The growing homeless population in Orillia, especially during harsh winters, needs innovative and compassionate solutions. Tiny homes are promising but come with concerns like weatherproofing, insulation, heating, and access to utilities. Additionally, space constraints and integrating these homes into existing neighbourhoods pose challenges.
Ensuring safety, security, and maintenance is crucial. Snow removal alone this year would have been a financial challenge, not to mention the liability issues on city property.
Beyond physical infrastructure, legal and health-related challenges must be addressed. Navigating zoning laws, protecting human rights, and balancing privacy with security are critical.
The homeless population often faces mental health issues, infectious diseases, and chronic conditions, requiring robust healthcare support. Access to mental health and addiction treatment is essential, but even established residents in Orillia struggle to access these services.
Financial implications are significant. Individual therapy can cost $600 to $1,000 per month, and addiction support can range from $1,333 to $35,000 per month. More municipal, provincial, and federal funding is needed to sustain these programs. Integrating services through community health hubs can optimize costs and improve outcomes.
However, these are not currently in place. We are fractured, siloed, and underfunded. Each agency is not looking to move beyond their budget or grant promises in the current political arena. This call for help comes at the end of the fiscal year, amidst potential economic shifts due to U.S.A. tariffs. Unfortunately, homelessness, health, and correctional crises are not viable electoral issues, outside of lip service by local politicians.
The strain on emergency services is substantial. Increased emergency room visits and higher demand on first responders come at a high cost. Each emergency room visit can cost $500 to $1,500, and police interactions can cost $200 to $1,000. Orillia residents are already concerned about the high number of calls for service exceeding the budget. The homeless population generates more calls than reported, which cannot be overstated.
Addressing even basic housing issues requires a comprehensive approach, including increased funding for affordable housing, mental health services, and addiction treatment.
Implementing a tiny homes program is not a simple solution. It requires addressing larger legal, health, and financial challenges. The cost of repairing a parking lot is $167,136, but upgrading infrastructure for tiny homes would be 10 times that amount in the first six months. The focus should be on the supports needed to make it safe and viable for both the population and business owners in the area.
While I applaud Ms. Wolper’s compassion and willingness to voice concerns, solving homelessness requires more than a full heart. It requires substantial funding, a comprehensive economic plan, and people committed to seeing the project through to self-sustainability.
Ideally, our society should not be judged by how many food banks and support services it builds but by having the supports in place to reduce the need for such services. Unfortunately, this is not a solution I see in our near future.
Current city council statements and politicians’ promises do not indicate that this issue will be dealt with. It is more likely they will move to charge and ban the homeless, pushing them to the outskirts of our communities and overburdening the criminal justice system. When they become too ill to live in the community, they will be moved into the healthcare system.
Andrew MacPhee
Orillia
