MPP slams province for not cutting Windsor piece of homelessness funding

Windsor West NDP MPP Lisa Gretzkydemanded that the provincial government explain why the region was not given part of the $200 million in provincial funding aimed at tackling homelessness.

• Windsor West MPP blasts province for denying city homelessness funding request

• Windsor-Essex shelters desperate to expand left out of $200M in provincial cash

"There was no excuse to deny Windsor a portion of this funding," said Lisa Gretzky in question period Wednesday. "I recently visited our Downtown Mission, Victoria Manor, and the Welcome Centre for Women and Families in Windsor. It's clear that they, along with other community organizations, are stretched thin and in desperate need of resources."

Staff atshelters in the city have said homelessness in Windsor has reached "crisis" levels.

The funding was part of the province's effortsto eliminate chronic homelessness by 2025. Windsor was one of 47 cities that applied for a financial boost, but was denied.

"We recently found out that one in 10 shelters in Ontario closed between 2011 and 2016 because of funding cuts," said Gretzky. "Municipalities like Windsor have fewer and fewer resources for homelessness prevention, even though the number of people whose primary residence is a shelter has increased by 10 per cent"

"When will this government get its priorities straight and support Windsor families in need?" asked Gretzky.