HATS pilot program is worthy partnership for Hamilton
In April of 2023, Hamilton City Council unanimously declared a state of emergency related to homelessness, opioid addiction, and mental health. At present, the City estimates there are approximately 1600 homeless people living in Hamilton, up more than 50% since the beginning of the pandemic. Further, as of August 2023, Hamilton Homeless Morality – an advocacy group of health care professionals - estimates the average life expectancy of an unhoused person is only 43 years old, with 57% of deaths attributed to overdose.
In its recent budget, Hamilton allocated $70 million for housing, almost doubling the combined contributions of the provincial and federal governments. However, mental health and addiction are indisputably related to health care, and therefore are firmly the responsibility of our provincial government to manage. The Ford government continues to download costs and shirk its responsibility to Hamiltonians.
It was Mahatma Ghandi who said, “the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members”. In the absence of provincial leadership, Hamilton is looking for a thoughtful and caring solution to the growing problem of homelessness and addiction. Having long been a vocal supporter of the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS), I see great value in the City working with a leading not-for-profit organization. The tiny homes concept ensures gated, monitored, and police/fire/EMS entrenched spaces from which we can begin to solve the crisis. The answer should not be sanctioned encampments in city parks. Further, as addiction, overdoses, and mental health challenges are sadly overrepresented amongst the unhoused, this model better supports safety and addiction recovery, as medical and mental health professionals are on site. Further, HATS has trained more than 100 volunteers, with many faith-based / community groups offering additional support. Finally, the HATS model is the preferred option of both the Association of Canadian Police Chiefs, as well as Hamilton's Chief of Police.
We know the provincial government continues to fail people, but I don’t believe we should be leaving anyone behind. That said, Hamilton can’t and shouldn’t keep spending at its current rate, making the HATS pilot program a worthy partnership.
