Comprehensive services in shelters and housing are helping to lower homelessness
Feb 19, 2026 • Last updated 22 hours ago • 6 minute read
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston, left, and Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack meet at an event in St. Thomas, Ont. Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. Officials in St. Thomas have found success by creating plans to address homelessness, then seeking funding from the provincial and federal governments. (Mike Hensen/The /Postmedia Network) Photo by Mike Hensen /
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston understands it may seem overly simplistic – yet he’s aware it’s effective.
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Preston was part of the St. Thomas delegation that met with Belleville’s Understanding Homelessness Task Force on Feb. 18. He emphasized that his city’s successful approach to homelessness centers around one key factor: housing.
Task force members asked their guests from St. Thomas to share insights about developing and managing a homelessness program that other municipalities admire.
“The solution to homelessness is housing with supports, and that needs to be your primary focus,” said Danielle Nielson, acting director of social services for the city and Elgin County.
“You will see both human and financial benefits when you commit to this work,” Nielson noted.
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“Your efforts must outpace the rate of homelessness; it’s a challenging task but essential … not just for our community but for others as well.”
Nielson and Preston pointed out these benefits include reduced costs and better use of community resources like policing.
St. Thomas has a population of about 50,000.
Preston mentioned there have generally been no active encampments in the last two years.
Nielsen stated there are currently around 100 individuals on the city’s list of people without shelter-down from a peak of 156.
“We can now envision a date early in 2027 where we will be at zero,” said Preston........
“We can now envision a date early in 2027 where we will be at zero,” said Preston........
Shelter first, then supportive housing
He and Nielson mentioned St. Thomas is making progress partly because its housing continuum is effective.
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