A pilot program embedded in the provincial budget rolled out Tuesday (March 26) is going to have a direct impact on Central Elgin and Elgin county.
Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP Rob Flack explains what is behind the Site Preparation Pilot Program.
“What I’m really excited about is the province has set aside close to $100 million over three years through what is called the Site Preparation Pilot Program.
“It is to re-purpose surplus sites. And those sites include the former St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital.
“So, we’re getting ready to develop that and put houses in and roofs over people’s heads.”
Other than serving as the backdrop for the odd movie, the former psych hospital has sat empty for years.
Opened in 1939, the psychiatric hospital was replaced in 2013 by the Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health located immediately to the north.
Tag Archives: Nathan Bokma
The City of St. Thomas ‘is at the forefront of this exciting new chapter for southern Ontario’s automotive sector’ – Liberal MP Filomena Tassi
St. Thomas was the recipient of another economic shot in the arm Thursday (Jan. 11) morning as announced by Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
“I am pleased to announce that the Government of Canada is investing $2 million in Amino North America to expand its facility here by over 40,000 square feet and add a new manufacturing line to meet the demands for its automotive products across North America.”
The expansion at the Highbury Avenue plant will create and maintain 45 jobs, with construction already underway.
It’s another indicator of the re-industrialization of southwestern Ontario.
That was the observation from London North Centre MP Peter Fragiskatos.
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Lukewarm reaction to bold call to co-mingle high-density housing and industry in St. Thomas
Is it possible for industry and housing to co-exist in fairly close quarters?
It’s a question that has been on the mind of Coun. Steve Peters and he brought it out into the open during Monday’s (Dec. 18) council meeting.
Specifically during debate on the draft plan of subdivision for the city’s 1,500-acre industrial park now known as Yarmouth Yards.
Peters opened the discussion by wondering aloud, “Why wouldn’t we be bold and look at a residential component to what is going on out there? We’ve got thousands of jobs that are going to be created, thousands of more jobs that are already in the industrial area, and why couldn’t we look at designating a portion of the southerly part of it as high-density residential?”
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A place to finally call home for 45 residents moving into The Station in St. Thomas
An exciting time over at The Station yesterday (Sept. 29) as Indwell officially opened their second supportive housing project on Queen Street in St. Thomas.
But it went a step further as Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health announced close to $1.2 million in operational funding.
The money will be used for rent supplements along with mental health and addiction support services at the 45-unit housing project.
In March of last year, the province provided $3 million to help build 20 supportive housing units in The Station.
That money was delivered through the Social Services Relief Fund.
Owned and operated by Indwell Community Homes, The Station provides housing and services to those 18 and older with mental health addiction issues and experiencing housing instability.
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St. Thomas-Elgin has developed a rapid response system for supporting unhoused veterans . . . a system that can work for other vulnerable populations.
St. Thomas-Elgin has reached a significant milestone in the fight against veterans’ homelessness.
In a brief ceremony prior to Tuesday’s city council meeting (April 11), it was announced St. Thomas-Elgin becomes the second community in Canada to achieve functional zero veteran homelessness.
London was the first city in Canada to be recognized.
The goal was achieved in February of this year and Danielle Neilson, the city’s social housing and homelessness prevention supervisor explains why this is a priority.
“It is part of a federal initiative to end homelessness for all veterans across Canada. And they have put money on the table to be able to do that.
“What happens then is Built for Zero works with Canadian communities to establish a system that is set up to immediately prioritize veterans who are identified in the homeless population and assist them with obtaining housing and then housing stability to ensure that they are anchored into their home.”
St. Thomas-Elgin joined Built for Zero Canada – a national movement of over 40 communities working to end chronic and veteran homelessness – in 2021.
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Who knows what lurks out of sight above Talbot Street?
We referred to them as the city’s forgotten apartments. A pair of decrepit hovels visible from the mayor’s office in city hall.
The first thing you noticed was the gaping holes where the ceilings had fallen away.
Patches of paint which had not yet floated to the floor cling tentatively to the walls.
In other areas, vast expanses of paint blistered like badly burned skin.
Missing tiles in one of the showers had been replaced with duct tape and garbage bags.
The remnants of a skylight were stuffed with a blanket and when it rained, water dripped to the floor and down the front stairs.
When this corner exposed those units in January of 2016 they were home to four tenants, seemingly off the radar of several departments at city hall.
Links to the trio of items written about those apartments and what might have been in the way of affordable housing back in 2016 can be found at the end of this item.
We reference these residences because how many other out-of-sight, out-of-mind units can be found up and down the Talbot Street core?
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C.J. Allen delegation to St. Thomas council Monday to focus on “bureaucratic and redundant red tape and restrictive bylaws”
The agenda for Monday’s (Jan. 16) council meeting reveals what should prove to be a no-punches-pulled deputation from C.J. Allen.
He is the chair of the Good Vibes Community Association (GVCA)board of governors.
If you are not familiar with the GVCA, it was the producer of last year’s inaugural Summer Harvest Festival held in Pinafore Park.
A well-attended event that is to become an annual attraction in the park.
Allen has outlined four areas of discussion and with deputations limited to 10 minutes, he’s going to have to move quickly through his presentation.
First up is GVCA’s experience and feedback concerning the city’s special event process and the interaction with city departments, specifically in relation to last year’s festival.
Next up is a look at the city’s strategic plan and specifically Commitment 1 under the Vibrant Community banner.
This area of the plan has a mandate to “Enhance opportunities for connection and development to promote growth for people and businesses in the city.”
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Poverty to possibility: ensuring affordable and supportive housing is on the radar of EML candidates in the June provincial vote
The first Elgin-Middlesex-London candidate forum for the June 2 provincial election was held this past Tuesday at the St. Thomas Public Library.
Hosted by the Elgin-St. Thomas Coalition to End Poverty, the two-hour session featured 10 questions from coalition members relating to poverty, homelessness, a living wage and mental health issues.
The three hopefuls present were PC candidate Rob Flack, Liberal candidate Heather Jackson and NDP candidate Andy Kroeker.
Moderated by the myFM news team featuring Kennedy Freeman and myself, the event kicked off what will be a hectic 28-day runup to the election itself.
Not present for the forum but who have now declared their candidacy are Matt Millar from the New Blue Party of Ontario, Brigitte Belton of the Ontario Party and Amanda Stark of the Green Party of Ontario.
Ian's City Scope 