A program meant to calm downtown tensions involving vulnerable individuals will live on in some form, says Mayor Cam Guthrie.
Though his initial plan was to eliminate the Welcoming Streets initiative in the updated 2025 city budget, bringing an early end to a three-year funding agreement, Guthrie said public feedback and new-to-him information have him rethinking that strategy.
“I can definitely state right now that it will not be a fully-cut service when the final budget sign-off gets released next week,” Guthrie told GuelphToday. “I feel very comfortable about believing that this resource is actually a needed resource at this time.
“To the degree of (funding), I'm not quite sure yet.”
When the draft budget update was released last month, it included an early end for Welcoming Streets – $206,550 in funding for the program's third and final year of a community benefit agreement with the city was entirely removed.
The program features three peer outreach workers who respond to calls from businesses and others about situations involving people experiencing mental health issues, with the aim of connecting those individuals with support services rather than involving law enforcement, when possible.
Guthrie said his initially planned cut was inspired by what he believed to be a lack of measurable data regarding the program and potential overlap with actions that could be coming from the joint city/county encampments basic needs table, which aims to help the unhoused population meet its basic needs.
“Since then, I would say from a personal opinion, I have had a lot of concerns answered. And I would say that I've received a lot of the metrics, measurements and such that I was looking for, to be able to help justify the work that they are doing,” Guthrie said.
Key among those metrics, he noted, is that Welcoming Streets has about 450 engagements per month and responds to about 150 calls for assistance each month.
Earlier this year, city council agreed to give $450,000 to the basic needs table for its work. Those funds are to be allocated by no later than the end of next year.
The mayor will release a formalized budget next week, which he said will include numerous changes to the previously released draft.
City council will still have an opportunity to make amendments, though Guthrie has the ability to veto them. However, those vetoes can be overridden with two-thirds support of council (nine of 13 votes).
