‘We’re not a solution, and we all know that. Homelessness is an issue, and it’s a community issue. So we want to work together,’ says Lighthouse offic
- The conversation around homelessness in downtown Orillia moved beyond headlines Tuesday evening as business owners, service providers, and city officials gathered at Creative Nomad Studios for an information session hosted by the Downtown Orillia BIA and The Lighthouse.
The session was designed to give the public, and particularly downtown business owners, a better understanding of the realities faced by people experiencing homelessness, the work being done by local service providers, and the challenges those providers face in meeting growing needs.
“There’s been a lot of conversation lately in the news and around town,” said BIA chair Doug Cooper. “We felt it was important to bring everyone together to talk about what each party does and how vital those services are to downtown businesses and all of us who operate here.
“Even in our early discussions, we’ve heard so many personal stories and experiences from community members,” he added. “The more we work together and reach out to each other, the better we can address these issues. That collaboration will help us operate our businesses more effectively and make downtown more welcoming and accessible for everyone.”
City councillors David Campbell and Janet-Lynne Durnford were among the 10 people in attendance, both taking notes and joining in on the conversation during the nearly hour-long meeting.
Taylor Henderson and Devin Molyneaux, Indigenous outreach workers with the Biminaawzogin Regional Aboriginal Women’s Circle (BRAWC), spoke candidly about the scope of their work and the challenges of reaching clients in need.
Their team covers Orillia, Barrie, Midland and surrounding areas, focusing on Indigenous individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Services range from providing water, snacks, socks and hygiene products to helping clients search for housing, complete subsidy applications, and navigate bureaucratic systems.
While their funding is intended for Indigenous clients, who must be able to demonstrate ancestry, status, or community connection, Henderson said they will also support non-Indigenous residents when possible.
“Sometimes they just want somebody there with them,” she said. “Our goal is to help people with what they need right at that moment, connect with them, build rapport, and hopefully get them moving toward housing.”
Until recently, BRAWC partnered with Lighthouse outreach at downtown’s Parking Lot 1 on Wednesdays from 1 to 2 p.m., a consistent time and place where clients knew they could find them.
However, after a suggestion from bylaw or city staff that after-hours outreach might make some business owners feel more comfortable, the team agreed to pilot a 5 to 6 p.m. slot for one or two months. Early results have been mixed.
“Last week we didn’t see anyone,” Henderson noted, adding that stability is key because many clients don’t keep track of days and times. “If we’re not there and we miss them, we might not see them for one, two, three weeks.”
Evening sessions also raise concerns about safety, particularly in winter when it gets dark early, and may conflict with outreach standards that limit night work. The team is exploring alternate downtown locations, possibly in church parking lots or nearby parks.
Lighthouse executive director Linda Goodall and managing director Rosemary Petersen used the session to walk attendees through the organization’s 12 programs, explaining how each fits into the broader homelessness response in Orillia.
Those programs range from emergency shelter — with 58 funded beds for men, women, and youth aged 16 and up — to supportive housing that can keep people stably housed for up to four years.
The Lighthouse also runs seven-day-a-week adult outreach, flexible-hours youth outreach, a winter warming centre, a community lunch program, medical and mental health services, and access to showers, laundry, technology, and mailing addresses for precariously housed residents.
Outreach, Petersen said, often starts with small gestures like handing out water or socks but serves a deeper purpose.
“It’s also that connection,” she explained. “Sometimes it takes 10 bottles of water before someone is willing to have the conversation about the next step.”
This year alone, Lighthouse outreach has logged more than 3,600 interactions. Not everyone they meet is unhoused; some are precariously housed and on the edge of losing shelter, but the need is evident.
Goodall said one of the most significant shifts in recent years has been the length of time people remain in shelter.
“Our emergency shelter used to be a month,” she said. “It is now probably on average three to four months. We’ve had people stay up to a year, and that is because of the lack of housing.”
All residents must meet weekly with a housing navigator to work on goals, which can include everything from securing an ID to applying for Ontario Works or energy subsidies.
An audience member asked whether evening hours might better serve people who miss daytime services. Goodall acknowledged the appeal but said past trials of later outreach hours were less effective.
“By the time we get to the evening, it’s harder to connect with people in a way that’s productive,” she said, noting that most partner agencies and government offices operate 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., making same-day referrals more difficult at night.
Goodall emphasized that funding remains the biggest challenge. The Lighthouse employs about 86 staff and 150 volunteers, with County funding covering only part of the budget. The rest comes from fundraising and grants.
She also stressed that homelessness is a community issue requiring cooperation between agencies, businesses and residents. That means maintaining open communication, finding solutions that balance safety and compassion, and challenging stigma with facts rather than assumptions.
Cooper closed the meeting by highlighting a joint BIA–Lighthouse initiative to answer common questions about homelessness in the BIA’s weekly newsletter over the next 14 weeks.
“One of the best things we can do is provide information to eliminate some of the stigma,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re having factual conversations, not hyperbole conversations.”
Attendees were invited to tour The Lighthouse to better understand its work. Goodall added that while there are no perfect solutions, ongoing dialogue is vital.
“We’re not a solution, and we all know that,” she said. “Homelessness is an issue, and it’s a community issue. So we want to work together.”