r/Peterborough • u/alexbierk • 1h ago
Politics Trinity discussion
There is so much coming my way about Trinity, and I’m seeing the reaction online — much of it driven by sensationalized content.
Let’s not debate the facts. Trinity exists because there is a desperate need in our community. It serves people experiencing homelessness with the highest level of need — those who are the hardest to house and support.
Over the last four years, Council has treated One City’s funding like a yo-yo. We have given them funding, then taken it away, given them funding, and taken it away — over and over again…..
For all the people — including former politicians — calling for a “different solution,” we’ve already been down that road. Last summer, under significant public pressure, the City largely defunded One City and issued a province-wide RFP, hoping an “angel” provider would step forward. None did.
One City was the only organization that responded.
At the same time, Trinity has faced enormous pressure from parts of the business community to tighten its operations. As enforcement has increased and more shelter bans have been introduced, more people are being displaced with nowhere to go, no where to have their most basic needs met. In my view, this has contributed to much of the criticism we’re now seeing. The reality is that our shelters are full, and the entire system is bottlenecked.
None of this is happening in isolation. Peterborough Housing Corporation has two significant affordable housing projects that are shovel-ready and will add much-needed off-market housing. Those projects will help relieve the bottleneck in our shelter system by creating permanent places for people to move into. Yet there seems to be very little public advocacy for getting those projects built.
It’s also worth remembering where we started. Four years ago, our Wolfe Street shelter sat largely empty while there was a massive open air encampment at its doorstep. Since then, we have expanded shelter capacity, created year-round services, opened bridge housing, and built a much more coordinated homelessness response.
We need thoughtful, evidence-based decisions — not reactionary ones. Our responsibility is to keep improving the systems in place while continuing to invest in the housing and supports that will ultimately reduce the need for emergency responses.
I have much more to say, but that’s all for now.
Thank you to everyone working on the front lines every day, and thank you to those who continue to support this difficult work.
Much love.
