There’s no denying that there’s a homelessness problem in Caledon.

That point was clearly made Tuesday to Caledon council by a community consultation subcommittee working on a homelessness partnering strategy for Caledon Community Services (CCS).

Fr. Larry Leger, of Holy Family Catholic Church in Bolton, told councillors there are a lot of faces to this problem, including couchsurfing teens, or young people with parents who are facing evection, or who are being fed and clothed by neighbours.

Committee member Dr. Cheryl Van Daalen- Smith, a nurse researcher, said there are also cases of seniors who heat their homes by turing up the ovens to 400 degrees. Or women living in motels with pets.

Committee member Carmel Hill also said there are people sleeping in cars or in parks.

Leger cited an 18- page report issued by the committee in March, which indicated other findings from their eight- month community consultation, including people living in barns, young men heading to work from a ravine, women in dangerous domestic situations with no place to go.

He stressed that addressing this situation “is simply the right thing to do.”

Van Daalen- Smith, a Caledon East resident and former street nurse, said she called CCS about two years ago, asking what was being done about this problem. “My phone call was taken seriously,” she said.

Leger told council homelessness is more involved than the absence of a roof over one’s head.

“Homelessness is the real or imminent absence of a home over which individuals or families have personal control,” is the definition he said the committee has come up with and is operating under. He added it’s been accepted by different researchers.

There are a number of factors contributing to homelessness, he observed. They include access to affordable housing, crisis or conflicts within the family (that can include disintegration of families, or conflicts between children and new spouses), abuse, addictions, limitations from living on fixed income (like Ontario Works or disability benefits), various kinds of losses (job, spouse, child), Physical or mental health issues, shame or isolation regarding one’s situation, etc.

Van Daalen-Smith reported the study involved eight months of consultation, including three community forums. Many demographics in the community were consulted, including police, youth, schools, service clubs, crisis case workers, municipal staff, library workers, motel managers, faith community leaders, employees at LCBO and Tim Hortons, Family Transition Place, Meals on Wheels, etc.

She also said a number of themes emerged for the consultations.

One of them was the hamlet where one calls home really matters. “They really wanted to stay where they live,” she said.

As well, she said animals matter to these people, and that has to be factored into a solution.

Seniors and farmers are an issue too, as she pointed out there are retired farmers who have precarious housing situations.

There are also issues with people who are employed, but homeless.

Hill stressed that Caledon is known as a caring community, adding that was expressed a lot during the study.

“We care for our own, and Caledon should and would look after it’s community members,” he remarked.

“I think the direction you’re going in is the right direction,” Mayor Marolyn Morrison commented.

She added she has been meeting with CCS Executive Director Monty Laskin about sources for possible grants and how the Town can help access them.

Morrison also said she would be meeting with the Regional councillors to work on a strategy.

“I think everyone, working together, will get there,” she observed.

Councillor Richard Paterak wondered about actual numbers, but Leger said they didn’t have many to offer. He said they weren’t able to obtain the services of high-level researchers for a year, adding this has mostly been a volunteer effort.

Van Daalen-Smith added this eightmonth effort has been more qualitative.

Councillor Patti Foley wondered if agencies like Family Transition Place or Meals on Wheels could help identify those in precarious situations, but Van Daalen-Smith said matters of confidentiality come into play.

Councillor Doug Beffort recalled hearing about a homeless person in Caledon village about a year ago. “That was quite a shock,” he declared.

He added many people don’t know what to do in such a situation.

“If I have a pothole in the road, I know who to call,” he commented.

Morrison said Peel Social Services are equipped to deal with such matters.

Van Daalen-Smith added that during the consultation, representatives from faith communities, service clubs, etc. were asking for advice on how they could help.

Councillor Allan Thompson commented that the key point is prevention, and making sure things don’t get worse.

Councillor Richard Whitehead observed that it’s hard to quantify need, commenting for example that it’s hard to measure the amount of time police spend dealing with homelessness.

“The cost is higher than we might think,” he said.

He added the time is coming when they will have to start working with hard data in order to clearly demonstrate the need.

“It really strikes home,” remarked Councillor Rob Mezzapelli, commenting this is an issue that’s always perceived to exist somewhere else. He agreed it’s foolhardy to think that.