Cornwall does not expect the location to change from the Massey Commons risk assessment

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During a presentation to the council on Tuesday, Cornwall Human Services and Long-Term Care CEO Mellissa Morgan said she does not expect the Massey Commons risk assessment, which has not yet been leased, to have any impact on the anticipated Cumberland Street location.

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“I know we are waiting for the (risk assessment) report. If the report is negative, do we have another plan?” she, he asked. Count Fred Ngoundjo.

Morgan and housing services manager Lisa Smith made an annual presentation of a report to the council, which is mandated through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Much of the report followed the same information shared at the recent Affordable Housing SDG Summit as the Cornwall Housing Report covers the 2019-2024 targets.

“We don’t anticipate that the risk assessment will come back and say we shouldn’t build there,” Morgan said. “It will provide additional guidance to ensure that both residents and the neighborhood are comfortable with some of the things being put in place. This could include security cameras, on-site security. Again, remembering that this is community housing, just like all our other housing properties.”

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During the presentation, Morgan and Smith talked about devolution of government funding over time impacting on housing, Cornwall’s community housing portfolio, a breakdown of costs and data on what affordable housing means in compared to today’s average income.

Smith said that as of April, 72 people identified as homeless in Cornwall, and that has been reduced to 61 by working with task force members. Smith said there are currently eight youths, 46 single adults, 11 families with children and four couples who are on the list by name. The roll by name, which includes people seeking permanent housing, has seen 170 people successfully housed, Smith said.

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“It’s a bit of a celebration that our team has just received qualified roster status. What this means is that, according to the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness and the Province of Ontario, is that our list of names also meets the standards… we are currently the 44th community in Canada and the 36th in Ontario to received this designation.” Smith said.

Looking ahead, Smith said the city recently met with 10 developers about partnership opportunities going into 2025.

“For private landlords, it is not always economically feasible because it is at a lower level of rent. But we’re working to support the federal and provincial governments to work out how we can do that.”

In the discussion after the presentation, Ngoundjo asked about the city’s relationship with Devcore.

“We have to be careful … there are issues that we might want to look at in the chamber … there are a number of conversations where the doors are open to meet the development industry … I’m cautious to go into detail because we have to protect (conversations). We can assure the council and the public that we are open for business,” he said.

Smith said he hopes to see a future report on housing and homelessness split in two to provide a more focused housing strategy and tackle homelessness efforts separately.

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