Fleury accuses staff of trying to 'weasel' out of rules around homeless shelters

As the first of what promises to be three long days of the planning committee drew to a close Tuesday, the councillor for Vanieraccused staff of trying to "weasel" theirway out of following city rules on homeless shelters.

Planning committee had already heard from more than 30 of the 164people who signed up to speak to Salvation Army'scontroversial proposal for a 350-bed facility on Montreal Road in Vanier, when Rideau-VanierCoun. Mathieu Fleurytried to pin the planning staff down on what exactly constitutes a shelter.

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According to an existing city policy, there are only supposed to be a maximum of four shelters in the Vanierward. The city contends there are only four, but Fleurybelieves there are actually 12.

He pointed out that the city pays to useup to 14 rooms as family sheltersin the Concorde Hotel (which is on the site of the Salvation Army's proposed complex) and the Ottawa Inn Hotel, both located on Montreal Road.

I continue to be astonished by the staff analysis on that specific matter, just to weasel through what is a cap on shelters.- Rideau-VanierCoun. Mathieu Fleury

"You don't seem to be considering them shelters," Fleurysaid to staff near the end of the eight-hour meeting.

The designation matters. If the motels, and other similar facilities in Vanier,were recognized as shelters, the new Salvation Army complex likely wouldn't be allowed. The proposalwould also break another rule that states shelters have to be more than 500 metres apart. In this case, the Ottawa Inn would be too close to the Salvation Army's new project.

But the city planner told Fleurythat both the hotels were considered, well,hotels under zoning rules. The planning department doesn't take into consideration how the city funds homelessness. In other words, even if the city uses the hotels as homeless shelters, the planners still consider them to be hotels.

"I continue to be astonished by the staff analysis on that specific matter, just to weasel through what is a cap on shelters," said a clearly frustrated Fleury.

Few stuck to planning issues

It was an exasperated end to a long day thatstarted with Coun. Jan Harder, the chair of the planning committee, emphasizingthat only comments about planning issues would be permitted.

The Salvation Army projectrequiresexemptions from City of Ottawa planning policies before getting the green light.Namely, shelters are not allowed on traditional main streetslike Montreal Road, so the organization needs an exception from twoseparate planning policies.

Because Salvation Army's proposal is officially aplanning issue, the committee is only supposed to consider planning rules. Harder specifically warned people not to talk about the social impacts of the project,the organization'sfunding arrangement or the city's housing first policy.

Her appeal fell on deaf ears. Most of the 30 public delegations including the handful who spoke in favour of the proposal found it almost impossible toseparate Salvation Army's socially complex operations from technical planning points.

Right from the start, comments veered off in all sorts of directions.

Feared social impacts

TimAubry, a University of Ottawa professor,spoke to why the housing-first option is a better way to serve homeless menthan what the Salvation Army is proposing.

Housing first, which is the currentlyfavoured model by all governments foraddressing homelessness, calls for people to be permanently housed as soon as possible, and offered the supports they need.

Businesses complained that the concentration of people with social issues is alreadymaking it difficult to succeed, leading some to claim they could only rent their properties to pot dispensaries and pay day loans operations. A number of them complained aboutcrime, which they fear would be exacerbated if the Salvation Army opened its 350-bed complex.

The comments eventually led Somerset Coun. Catherine McKenney, who sat in on the meeting even though she isn't on the planning committee, to say she was having "a bit of trouble" with some of the narrative she heard Tuesday. It was not her experience, she said, "that the vulnerable people bring down a neighbourhood."

But that wasexactly what most people wanted to talk about the possible effects of a concentration of what one man characterized as "fragile and socially challenged" individuals in one community.

"I believe this development will stunt if not reverse the revitalization of Montreal Road, and Vanier more broadly," said Randall Bartlett, an economist and Vanierresident.

"Common sense tells you that when a large and concentrated institutional use is added to a traditional main street that has a pre-existing high concentration of social services, this leads to economic decline as opposed to development."

'It's downright negligent'

Some delegates did try to address technical planning issues, such asNatalie Raffoul, an engineer and lawyer.

"As you know, official plans are mended for height and density on a regular basis, but an amendment for land use is rare," she said, referencing the city's foremost planning document. She went on to say that the Salvation Army's proposal includes surface parking on the main street, which is not allowed.

Carleton University architecture professor Ben Giannialso started with planning issues, but then veered off a bit.

"City building is my business," he told councillors, "andVanieris also my turf."

He spoke directly to thequestion ofwhether an exception should be made to allow a shelter on a traditional main street.

"I'm here to defend the official plan,"Giannitold the committee, but then added:"Not to consider how a facility of this scale and this nature might affect the host community is beyond irresponsible. It's downright negligent."

Supportfrom social agencies

Even supporters didn't stick to planning issues, giving weight to the argumentthat how property is used has an impact on the surrounding community.

Social agencies, including Ottawa Inner City Health, Action-Logement and the Shepherds of Good Hope, all spoke in favour of the Salvation Army's proposal, saying their services are needed in the city.

"It's not news to anyone here that there's not enough affordable housing," said DeirdreFreiheit, the president and CEO of the Shepherds of Good Hope.

She also supported Salvation Army's model of what itcalls "a continuum of care," locating emergency shelter, and addiction and life skills beds in one complex.

"When a person struggles with mental health,addiction and trauma,it's unrealistic to expect the sameperson to travel to multiple locations to access care," she said.

Planning meeting continues

The meeting continues on Wednesday, when councillors will have the opportunity to ask questions of Michael Polowin, a well-known planning lawyer who's been hired by two Vanier business people.

The planning meeting will continue on Friday if necessary.