Lambton County council approved its 2026-27 homelessness funding plan at a July 2, 2026 meeting in Wyoming, securing $5.6 million in provincial dollars to help individuals and families across the county who are homeless or at risk of losing their housing.
The Homelessness Prevention Program Investment Plan keeps funding steady from Ontario’s Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing for a third straight year. Nearly $590,000 of that money will go to local shelters, including Good Shepherd’s Lodge, The Haven Youth Shelter, and an overflow shelter on Exmouth Street.
Beyond shelter beds, the plan directs $2.7 million toward supportive housing and $1.6 million to housing assistance like rent supplements. A further $450,000 is set aside for community outreach and supportive services, with $280,000 covering the plan’s administration.
The stable provincial funding comes as Lambton braces for a steep cut from Ottawa. Federal Reaching Home dollars are expected to fall from $1.3 million to less than $600,000 in 2026-27. Lambton’s total homelessness budget sits at roughly $9.2 million, which also includes $1.8 million from county property taxpayers.
The county’s by-name list tracks about 320 people experiencing homelessness. While the number has held steady, officials say more housing is needed to make a real dent. In the meantime, the Exmouth Street overflow shelter will stay open until a planned expansion at Good Shepherd’s Lodge is finished – expected in fall 2027. That expansion, backed by a $988,000 grant from the county’s Affordable Housing Reserve, will add 42 beds.
