Agreement to cap shelter's growth 'fluff,' neighbours say

The City of Ottawa's final attempt to cap the number of beds allowed at the new Salvation Army shelter on Montreal Road has fallen flat, disappointing acommunity group fighting the project.

It has no teeth, it's unenforceable and it really doesn't help the community.- Drew Dobson, SOS Vanier

Councillors initially passed a plan that would force the charity through a formal approval process if it wanted to expand its emergency shelter. The goal was to give the community some comfort that the facility wouldn't balloon in the future.

On Wednesday council settledfor a written commitment from the Salvation Army not to expand beyond140 beds.

"This is just a fluff letter," said Drew Dobson, the leader of SOS Vanier, a community group formed to combat the Salvation Army proposal.

"It has no teeth, it's unenforceable and it really doesn't help the community."

'There's really no teeth to it'

8 years ago

Duration 0:35

Drew Dobson, the leader of SOS Vanier, says the city's final attempt to cap the number of beds allowed at the new Salvation Army shelter on Montreal Road is not sufficient to protect the community.

Responding to emergencies

Dobson said the way the rules are written now, the Salvation Army could increase the number of emergency shelter beds in the future without consulting the community.

Coun. Mathieu Fleury, who represents Vanier, initially hoped to enshrine the 140-bed cap in the zoning bylaw, forcing the charity to go through a formal public consultation process before expanding its shelter.

But the Salvation Army said that wouldn'tgive the shelter the flexibility it needs to respond to potential housing emergencies.

The Salvation Army's Glenn van Guliksaid under these rules, the shelter would be able to install temporary beds if needed.

The agreement will at least limit the amount of funding the city is obliged to give the shelter.

The community has filed an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board in an effort to strike down council's approval of the project.