London Service Depots locations face criticism [Video]

Selecting new locations for Service Depots that offer basic needs to homeless encampments could pit neighbourhood against neighbourhood.

“We’re willing to do our part, but not when other parts of the city do nothing,” explained Coun. Hadleigh McAlister, who represents Ward 1 in the east-end. “That is really the issue. It’s what I hear time and time again from my residents.”

Service Depots are temporarily set up each day near encampments to offer basic needs like food and water as well as a location for portable sanitation stations.

On Nov. 9, city council did not approve a list of recommended Service Depot locations developed by the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness because it primarily clustered them within core neighbourhoods and east London.

However, the results of an alternative process undertaken by city staff is raising the same concerns.

Maps were developed of city parks incorporating a set of council-approved …