This article is part of The Hometown Edition, a special series featured on CBC Radio’s As It Happens from Nov. 3-7, highlighting the challenges and successes of small towns in Canada. Click here to discover more about the developments in St. Thomas, Ont.
While residing on the streets of St. Thomas, Ont., a few years ago, Sara Pepper recalls facing a lack of support.
Pepper expressed to As It Happens host Nil KÓ§ksal that being homeless in St. Thomas was challenging due to limited assistance, lack of services, and societal misunderstanding.
However, with the town’s proactive approach to combat chronic homelessness, Pepper now has a stable home and a bed to sleep in, aiding her in rebuilding her life.
The town aims to eliminate long-term street living entirely in St. Thomas within two years.
St. Thomas, a city with around 46,000 residents in southwestern Ontario, faced economic challenges after the closure of its primary economic driver, the local Ford plant, in 2011.
Similar to other Canadian municipalities, St. Thomas grappled with a housing shortage, an opioid crisis, and a rise in homelessness.
Mayor Joe Preston, once troubled by these issues, is now optimistic with the impending Volkswagen electric battery plant and the successful anti-homelessness initiative, positioning St. Thomas ahead of many other Canadian cities.
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Over the past five years, St. Thomas has worked diligently to implement a strategy, aligned with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessnessâ Built For Zero program, to transition individuals from the streets to housing.
The city collaborated with