Salvation Army open to changing controversial shelter project

The Salvation Army now says it is open to changing the size of the controversialshelter it wants to build on Vanier's main commercial strip, but critics question the timing and sincerity of the charity's latest overture,just days before a crucial Ottawa city council debate.

The charity held a closedmeetingMonday afternoon forrepresentatives from Vanier's business and community associations, social service agenciesand city housing staff, two days before Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury is to put the project to avote with a newcity council.

• Fleury urges council to overturn Vanier shelter decision
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Spokesperson Glenn van Guliksaid Monday's meeting was to "bounce ideas" off community groups, just as the Salvation Army hadpromised to do during when city councilapproved its zoning a year and a half agoafterheated debate that lasted days.

The proposed facility at 333 Montreal Rd. wasto have350 beds, including140for emergency shelter, butcritics argued the model was wrong and should focus on housing people permanently.

Since the zoning was approved, the housing landscape has changed in Ottawa, van Gulik explained, and the charity might look at introducing supportive housing as it has in Halifax and Vancouver.

Salvation Army promises plan within 48 hours

It might also lookat whether units should be open to women and children, as well as the men they traditionally serve.

Asked if the community meetinghad anything to do with the council debate Wednesday, spokesperson Glenn van Gulik said, "Absolutely not."

He pointed out the Salvation Army sent its invitations on May 31, and was surprised whenFleurysignalled a couple of weeks later he would try to get thenew councilto repealthe zoning.

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Van Gulik promised tohave "something tangible that we can make some commitments on to adjust the project" within 24 to 48 hours of Monday's meeting.

'Why are we all fighting?'

"It sure felt like a PR exercise at times," said Drew Dobson, founder of SOS Vanier, a group thatmarshalled opposition to the shelter in 2017.

Dobson is also one of a handful of Vanier business owners whohave appealed city council's decisionto theLocalPlanning AppealTribunal, or LPAT.

Because of that appeal, the shelter's zoning remains in limbo awaiting ahearing scheduled this fall.

Coming out of Monday's meeting, Dobson said the Salvation Army appearedopen to making significant changes, and said he urged them to withdraw their zoning application. Van Gulik said the Salvation Army will not.

"If they're not serious about building a350-bed mega shelter, then why are we all going to the [LPAT] and why are we fighting? They should withdraw their proposal, go back to the drawing board and put a new proposal on the table," Dobson said.

Until then, the two sides remain adversaries, Dobson said.

Issue to hit council Wednesday

Fleuryattended Monday's session as well, but would only saythe meeting felt like a distractionand that he was focused on Wednesday's council meeting.

Fleuryhopes a new council will repeal the zoning approvedlast term ina 16-7 vote.

Last term, current councillorsRiley Brockington,Diane Deans, Jeff Leiper andCatherine McKenneyjoined Fleury in votingagainst it. New councillors Rawlson King and Theresa Kavanagh have also told CBC News they intend to support Fleury. Heneeds a majority vote of the 24-member councilto overturn the zoning.

Fleury had argued council should reverse the decision because of what he said was therecent discovery that the Salvation Armydidn't actually own the property when the application was approved.

In a memo sent Friday to the mayor and city councillors, the city solicitor said the shelter zoning applies only to theSalvation Army, and if thatpurchase doesn't go through, no other operator could run a shelter in its place.