City council has approved a controversial plan for the Salvation Army to build a shelter in Vanier, in a decision that opponents are already vowing to appeal.
After a week of marathon meetings and more than three hours of discussion at council on Wednesday, the proposal passed in a vote of 16-7.
Councillors Tobi Nussbaum, Mathieu Fleury, Riley Brockington, Diane Deans, Catherine McKenney, David Chernushenko and Jeff Leiper voted against the proposal.
“The hundreds of people who have engaged with us directly through this process … deserve better, they deserve more coherent and they deserve more caring,” said Coun. Leiper.
Ward coun. Mathieu Fleury, who has been working to stop the project, tried to halt the decision until the Salvation Army could analyze other possible sites but his motion at council failed.
Fleury stressed this decision has a big social impact and said it was a “tragedy” that this fight came down to a land-use issue.
Meanwhile other councillors were visibly frustrated including Coun. Diane Deans who said this debate “sickened” her.
“There are no winners today,” said Coun. Deans. “Any time you divide a community the way this community is divided, this is not a win.”
Mayor Jim Watson, who has supported the proposal, said the new shelter will be the “first purpose-built shelter” of its kind in Ottawa but vowed to continue collective feedback from the community.
“Please know that with the vote today, the discussion does not stop,” said Watson
The Salvation Army’s plan for the new 350-bed facility on Montreal Road has faced significant backlash from the community since it was announced in the summer.
Before approving the application, council passed a motion directing staff to work with the Salvation Army and members of the community.
But those opposed to the project like Rachel Robillard said it's too little too late.
“I am disenchanted, I am disillusioned - I have to say I am not actually surprised,” said Robillard, who is a member of SOS Vanier.
Robillard said better community consultation should have happened before the vote at council.
“This is not something that should happen after the fact, after the bomb drops,” she said.
Business owner and SOS Vanier spokesperson Drew Dobson said he isn’t surprised by the decision but shared his disappointment with the Salvation Army.
“I just spoke to them today and I left them know that they didn’t win here today. They lost the faith of the community,” said Dobson.
Dobson said he isn’t surprised by the decision and will be discussing next steps with the group’s lawyer.
“I’ll meet with the lawyers on Monday and decide but as long as the lawyer says we have a good case, we’ll be going to the OMB.”
The Salvation Army has said it hopes to open the shelter within five years, however an appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board could significantly delay the project.