During the February 15th City Council meeting at Barrie City Hall, Jennifer van Gennip gave an emotional testimony asking for the full funding of an all winter warming centre.

Gennip who works for Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness shared the story of Texas, a father and grandfather. He had been homeless for about three years and was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He expressed his fear that he would die alone in a snowbank. Gennip lamented that she had to appeal to the council for help to simply keep people alive during the winter.  

“I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because I'm furious,” Gennip said. She said “the goalposts have moved back so far that I have to ask you to help us keep people alive in the winter.“  She told the story of Texas, a father and grandfather who has been diagnosed with stage four cancer. “He was terrified that he was going to die alone in a snowbank.”    

The John Howard Society's warming center is allowed to open only when the temperature drops below -15°C. Their proposal to the county to provide daytime warming services was unfortunately denied. In an interview with Barrie Community Media earlier this month, Hayley Murdoch-Fyke, Executive Director of the John Howard Society of Simcoe and Muskoka, stated that roughly $300,000 is needed to run a 24/7 warming center with two staff members for almost six months.

Gennip said “the need for around the clock warming centers is very clear.“

Many councillors including Ann-Marie Kungl, Clare Ripma and Jim Harris expressed an urgent need to address the issue. However, the majority of council remain indifferent to the issue. 

Social services such as warming centres are operated by the county, which is funded by the city. The final discussion and voting on service partner budgets will take place on March 8th.