“The cupboards are bare”

by Noah Gecelovsky

Windsor West MPP, Lisa Gretzky, is taking a stand for Windsor in Queen’s Park after the Liberal-run provincial government announced 21 communities would receive portions of a $200 million fund to combat homelessness — leaving the city out in the cold. 

Gretzky was outraged that, with Windsor’s homelessness problem reaching crisis levels, the border city was denied any of the $200 million fund.  

“Among all cities in Canada, Windsor has the highest rate of children growing up in low-income households,” said Gretzky. “Statistics Canada reports that one in four are living in low income households. This amounts to nearly 16,000 children. There is no sound reason to deny funding to our region.” 

In addition, $90 million of that fund, was allocated to Toronto alone to fight homelessness while in Windsor, the homeless crisis is overlooked. 

A spokesperson for the Wynne government said their selection was based on “a select number of applicants who demonstrate the most effective, ambitious and comprehensive plans.” 

Gretzky added that “ministry officials said that Windsor’s proposal was very good, but haven’t said why our region wasn’t selected.”  

A 2016 survey conducted by the Windsor Star found and put a name to 201 homeless people in the downtown Windsor area. Of that 201, 166 people were alone and 35 made up seven different families. Thirty-four of the 166 single homeless people were between the ages of 16 and 24, but there are many more unaccounted for. 

Christine Wilson works at Street Help in Windsor providing meals, laundry services, free sleeping bags, mats and clothing. Street Help is also a food bank.  

Wilson supports the idea of housing rather than hiding, so instead of building shelters, she wants to provide houses for the homeless to live. 

“Until you have a key and rent receipt, you are homeless,” said Wilson. “Take the abandoned houses and make them homes.” 

According to the City of Windsor’s website, hundreds of Windsorites who spend at least 50 per cent of their income on rent — as well as people in unsafe living spaces — have a higher risk of becoming homeless. 

In a 2013 CBC report on homelessness in Canada, it was found on any given night there are an average of 30,000 people living on the street. There are also, on average, 50,000 people across Canada each night who are considered the “hidden homeless.” This figure is made up of people who stay with a friend or family member for a temporary period of time because they are otherwise homeless. 

Gretzky plans to continue working with members of the community to share the issues and raise awareness of problems that plague Windsor as well as the rest of Ontario. 

“Windsor families have continuously proven their resolve… I worked hand-in-hand with community members to fight for home care funding for our community and we got results,” said Gretzky. “There is no reason for the Wynne government to tell dedicated organizations working to combat poverty and homeless in our community that the cupboard is bare. This is a Liberal government that is spending over five million dollars of government money to promote their own party.” 

Gretzky said this competition for the funding was not the proper way to go about solving issues. 

“Pitting communities against one another for resources to combat homelessness and poverty is not the way forward,” said Gretzky. “We need a government that is ready to do something about the systemic issues that push people into poverty.”