LONDON - MPPs Peggy Sattler (London West), Terence Kernaghan (London North Centre) and Teresa Armstrong (London-Fanshawe) sent the following letter to the Minister of Health, Minister of Housing, and Solicitor General, calling on the province to provide the $1.37 million needed to keep House of Hope open.
May 29, 2026
Dear Ministers Jones, Flack and Kerzner,
We are writing to urge you to approve dedicated provincial funding to keep the House of Hope in London open. Housing is healthcare, and this highly supportive housing program works, delivering exceptional outcomes for some of our most vulnerable residents. Allowing it to close and throw its residents back into homelessness would be a costly mistake.
A March 2026 evaluation proves how House of Hope is saving provincial dollars while changing lives. Most House of Hope residents have been ineligible for or turned away from all other supports, and as a result, were chronically unhoused—in some cases, for decades—and mostly unsheltered.
Without access to regular care and medical necessities, people are forced to rely on hospitals. In the six months before moving into the House of Hope, residents collectively had 534 ER visits and spent 583 days in hospital. In the six months after moving in, that declined significantly: 434 fewer ER visits and 356 fewer days in hospital. People who had gone years without a family doctor are accessing primary care and seeing specialists to manage conditions proactively. People struggling with addiction are seeking treatment.
Living unsheltered can also lead to frequent interactions with police and involvement in the justice system. Comparing the six months before moving in, when residents collectively had 398 interactions with police, and the six months after, when they had just 178, shows how wraparound support and housing are the key to breaking this cycle. In addition, the House of Hope helped divert 14 people from the justice system, reducing jail time and helping residents get the support they need for long-term change.
The evidence is clear and it is hard to imagine a stronger case for provincial investment—supportive housing costs a fraction of what our health, justice, and emergency systems spend on someone living rough. The ask is a modest $1.37 million annually, matching the commitment that has already been made by the City of London. Your government already funds a similar model in Toronto, allocating $2.6 million annually to Dunn House, which is operated by the University Health Network. Like Dunn House, House of Hope shows the transformative impact of integrating housing into healthcare for those experiencing chronic homelessness.
We understand that London will receive $21.8 million this year under the Homelessness Prevention Program, and that it is up to the City to decide how to use those funds. We want to be direct: that funding is fully committed and is not nearly enough to address the pressing needs of our community.
London’s by-name list of people experiencing homelessness has grown every year — 4,137 in 2023, 4,416 in 2024, and 4,718 in 2025. That is nearly a 7% increase year over year. Meanwhile, provincial funding has stayed flat, losing ground to inflation and rising demand. The City of London has stretched every dollar, including adding 70 new shelter beds through Ark Aid Mission and launching a micro modular shelter program that has moved roughly 70 people directly out of encampments. These programs are working, but they are maxed out. There is no room to redirect funds to House of Hope without cutting something else that is also vital.
House of Hope is exactly the kind of evidence-based, innovative program the Ontario government should support, which is why it is being studied by other communities across the province and beyond.
We implore you to provide the provincial investment needed to keep House of Hope open.
Sincerely,
Peggy Sattler, MPP
London West
Terence Kernaghan, MPP
London North Centre
Teresa Armstrong, MPP
London-Fanshawe