County Council Media Release - April 28, 2021

Here are the highlights from the regular Lanark County Council meeting held Wednesday, April 28.

 Air Conditioning Upgrades Planned at Lodge: Council has authorized proceeding with adding ductless air conditioning units to the D Wing at Lanark Lodge at an estimated cost of $320,000 and, due to time constraints, to waive the purchasing policy and source to current service providers for installation.

 This follows a report by Lanark Lodge Director Jennie Bingley at the community services committee meeting earlier this month indicating provincial regulatory changes related to enhanced cooling requirements have necessitated the change.

 Bingley explained there is air conditioning in resident rooms and common areas in three of the wings, but there is no duct work in the D wing, meaning there is air conditioning in the common areas only. This project will provide air conditioning in the D Wing residents room so that resident rooms and common areas throughout the home are air conditioned.

 While the home has received two minor capital provincial streams to cover the majority of the costs, she noted provincial funding related to operational expenses have been cut. For more information, contact Jennie Bingley, Director of Lanark Lodge, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 7101.

 HVAC Tender Awarded for Lodge: Council has awarded a contract to 1000 Islands Mechanical Inc. to replace the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system in three wings at Lanark Lodge at a cost of $3.7 million. Director of Lanark Lodge Jennie Bingley said three proposals were received by the April 15 deadline. The project is required to be completed by Dec. 31 to ensure receipt of federal/provincial funding related to the costs.

 Bingley explained the county has received $1.7 million in funding through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream for Long-Term Care, which is shared between the federal and provincial governments. The balance will come from reserves, and energy rebate grants through Hydro One and Enbridge are estimated at $100,000, which will help offset costs.

 “The upgrade will ensure efficient heating and air conditioning for years to come,” Bingley said. “Although the costs are higher than budgeted, we were very pleased to receive provincial and federal funding to offset a significant portion.” She added there is concern there will be project delays due to the impact of COVID-19 on manufacturing and shipping, and this will be monitored and reported to council. Temporary cooling may be required this summer at an estimated cost of $34,000 per month.

 Lanark Lodge has made efforts to improve critical systems that were well past their useful life following a review in 2019. “A concern still exists regarding continued capital investment as it pertains to planned redevelopment of the home,” Bingley said. “Our minimum redevelopment timeline is less than five years but, realistically, we could be in the home well past that date.” For more information, contact Jennie Bingley, Director of Lanark Lodge, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 7101.

 Homelessness Enumeration Tool Discussed: Council received information about an enumeration tool to be used by Lanark County Social Services to help address homelessness in the community. Director of Social Services Emily Hollington explained the county is required to conduct a point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness and to implement an operational by-name list to help address the issue by the end of 2021.

 The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has introduced by-name lists across Ontario. “It is an ongoing, real-time list of people experiencing homelessness in a community. A by-name list can be used to connect people to a range of housing options and supports,” Hollington explained, adding it is not the same as the consolidated waitlist the county maintains for rent-geared-to-income housing. Training support for conducting the by-name list is completed in partnership with the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

 Hollington explained the list usually includes information about people’s needs to help prioritize and coordinate housing services and supports, and it is updated on a regular basis. The province has identified two priority groups: People experiencing chronic homeless and youth experiencing homelessness. It will help to have strong, reliable and consistent data to provide a snapshot of homelessness in the community, information to help develop appropriate programs and service to address emerging needs and to evaluate whether programs are having the desired effect or whether improvements in service delivery are needed. Informed consent is required to add someone to the list and to share information with service providers.

 The aim is to keep the information current, encourage cross-sector collaboration and ensure prioritization criteria and processes are clear and transparent. Hollington explained there are two components, including the point-in-time count and a survey for people experiencing homelessness. “Working with community service providers will help the county in identifying people experiencing homelessness for the point-in-time count.” She said the by-name list approach is a major shift. “The name ‘list’ is misleading as it’s not a mere list of people. This is a change in how service is managed and delivered to people experiencing homelessness. The focus will continue to be on getting people housed,” she said, adding continued collaboration with local partners should help to improve outcomes for vulnerable county residents. For more information, contact Emily Hollington, Director of Social Services, at 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 2101.

 Upcoming Meetings: County Council, Wednesday, May 12, 5 p.m.; Community Services, May 12 (following County Council); Corporate Services, May 12 (following Community Services). County Council, Wednesday, May 26, 5 p.m.; Public Works, May 26 (following County Council); Economic Development, May 26 (following Public Works). Watch for details about public access to meetings on agendas and through online notifications. For more information, contact 1-888-9-LANARK, ext. 1502. Like "LanarkCounty1" on Facebook and follow "@LanarkCounty1" on Twitter!