Heather Wright & Cathy Dobson/The Independent

Lambton Warden Kevin Marriott says homelessness and addiction issues will be top of the agenda in 2025 for the county.

Marriott spoke to The Independent New Years’ Day about what lay ahead for 2025.

“I’m hoping there’s some signs that we can resolve some of the big issue of ‘24,” he said pointing to new provincial legislation which, when passed, will make chronic trespassing, such as pitching a tent in a local park, a criminal offense.

“I think there needs to be some pressure that way,” says Marriott.

But he notes county workers have made progress in finding homes for the people who once lived in Lambton’s largest encampment, Rainbow Park in Sarnia.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, in his State of the City address to the Golden K Kiwanis Club Tuesday seemed to agree progress is being made, although he attributed it to the work city employees are doing.

“In its heyday last year, there were probably 80 to 100 people in the Rainbow Park encampment. As of yesterday, there were 12 people and 16 tents, and we are working on that exit strategy.”

The city has passed a bylaw saying anyone who moves out of Rainbow Park cannot move back in.
“Rainbow Park seems to be coming to a conclusion.”

While the situation is improving, the mayor added; “We need to have more leadership from the county on the housing issue. Last year the county received $10 million from other governments to help the homeless. (The city took measures) in Rainbow Park because we had no option.”

When the city requested financial assistance from Lambton County it was turned down.
Bradley said he is meeting with county representatives this month to raise the issue of establishing another shelter.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt there’s a need for another shelter in the community to deal with what’s happening out there.

“I am meeting with the county in a week or two to talk about the money that Ford is offering to deal with encampments and the homeless. I want to know where we’re going with this.”

“No matter what location is chosen in Point Edward, or St. Clair, or where ever, I can guarantee you there will be controversy. But we have a basic responsibility as a government to try to assist people in times of need.

“What has disturbed me in the last couple of years after COVID, is that the empathy bank is low. The compassion level is low.” Service clubs and churches are all struggling with smaller memberships and trying to “find their way back to a better place.

“The more we can be compassionate and empathetic about others in our community, the more we become the kind of Canadians we were in the past.”

Bradley also wants to see the county move quickly to create more housing.

“We could use 4,000 affordable housing units…but the bind we are in here in the city is…we are in a two-tier system here where the county has the responsibility for affordable housing and there’s been very few housing units developed.”

He noted the county is currently working on three new affordable housing projects but said it will take years for them to be completed.

Marriott says some of the pressure will be eased when 24 new units under construction at Maxwell Place on London Road are ready for occupancy likely in 2025, after a three year delay.

The development was announced in March 2018. The modular units were touted as a quick build. But the project has faced multiple construction delays.

The county contracted BECC Construction to build the units at their factory and bring them to the site to be assembled on a concrete foundation. One of the delays was caused by problems with that foundation.

The project was delayed because of weather, supply chain issues and finding buried power and water lines which weren’t on the original plan.

Construction began again in fall 2024.

The cost of the building has risen from $6.1 million to $8.7 million after the delay.

While Marriott is pleased the units are moving ahead, he says there has to be some realization that addiction is closely linked with housing. He says there have been a number of fires in housing units in the past few years which were started with drug use. And he says those who make their home at Rainbow Park don’t want to leave because they are not able to use drugs in local shelters.

Marriott is hopeful Lambton’s withdrawal management centre, expected to be built in 2025, will make a dent in the problem.