Heather Wright/The Independent

Lambton County officials say more families are facing homelessness because of unemployment and the rising cost of living.

“They simply can’t afford a place to live,” says Melissa Fitzpatrick, general manager of social services in Lambton County.

Sarnia-Lambton’s jobless rate was 9.9 per cent in July – the last time local statistics were available from Statistics Canada, far higher than the national rate of 6.9 per cent that same month.

During the Oct. 14 committee meeting during a discussion about the temporary shelter on Exmouth St., Sarnia City/County Councillor Bill Dennis asked staff if more families were homeless either through job loss or because “they just simply can’t afford to make ends meet?

“Are you seeing an influx of people in that situation that are coming into the system asking for help?”

“Unfortunately, we do see families entering to enter into homelessness,” Fitzpatrick said.

“Certainly to your question about are we seeing individuals or families entering because of poverty or lack of employment; we absolutely do.”

Fitzpatrick says two or three years ago about a quarter of the people experiencing homelessness were on Ontario Works. “Now that’s around a half. So we’re seeing that poverty and low levels of income are contributing to homelessness.”

Fitzpatrick says families are placed together in hotels if they lose their home.

“They may be working, but just simply can’t afford rent.”

Fitzpatrick says a community support worker is assigned to the family “so we house them as quickly as possible.

“Once we find a place, we’re able to offer rent supplements to bring it into within an affordable reach for them,” she added.

If families are facing eviction, the county can intervene before families are homeless, again providing rent supplements to keep them in their homes.