George’s ten-point framework
A path from homelessness to stability.
George’s proposal connects outreach, voluntary recovery, housing and community participation. Each person’s needs and willingness to accept help shape the next step. Recovery is voluntary. There is no forced treatment.
Find the Ward 8 councillor race and mark George Fiddick.
The ten points, in order
Community triage: start where the person is
Coordinate outreach and assessment so people facing homelessness, addiction, mental-health challenges or other barriers can connect with the right resources. Start by understanding each person’s circumstances, needs, risks and willingness to accept help.
Two paths: stability or voluntary recovery
Not everyone is ready for treatment at the same time. One path provides outreach, harm reduction, basic supports and connections to services. The other offers voluntary detox, treatment, recovery and reintegration for people ready to take that step. Keep the door to recovery open.
Withdrawal management and detox
When someone chooses recovery, access to detox and withdrawal management needs to be timely and connected to what comes next. Detox should begin a planned path of care.
Transitional sober living: a place between stages
Governments and community partners should identify existing buildings, underused properties or opportunities for new sober-living facilities. These would provide a stable place between detox and treatment, helping people avoid returning to homelessness or unsafe conditions while waiting for or entering treatment.
Detox → Transitional sober living → Treatment
Treatment: recovery with purpose
Treatment should address each person’s circumstances, including addiction, mental health and other barriers where relevant. It should also help build the skills, relationships, confidence and supports needed for a lasting return to community life.
Plan the next step before discharge
Discharge planning should begin before treatment ends, so a person knows where they are going next. Where appropriate, the path could lead through post-treatment transitional housing to stable housing and community reintegration.
A direct handoff should connect the person with housing, health services, employment supports, community organizations and other resources they need.
From temporary to stable housing
Transitional housing should lead toward stable housing. That may mean supportive housing, affordable rental housing, market housing, co-operative housing or another suitable option. Stable housing gives recovery a foundation.
Community participation: restoring purpose
Where appropriate and legally permitted, people could take part in structured community activities, volunteering, training, employment preparation and community service.
This could include people already in community-service programs, people under probation or parole supervision, and people completing court-ordered community-service hours. Applicable rules and supervision would still govern those activities.
Examples include clearing snow around fire hydrants, community cleanups, improving parks and neighbourhoods, food-bank and community-kitchen support, maintenance and volunteer projects, and skills training.
The goal is purpose, responsibility, dignity and reintegration. Recovery remains voluntary; any court-ordered service follows its own rules.
Co-operative sustainability: building together
Where appropriate, co-operative models could be part of the long-term solution. People progressing in recovery could take part in housing, employment, food production, community gardens, maintenance, social enterprises or other sustainable projects.
The aim is to move from receiving help to participating, contributing and building independence, while gaining confidence, skills and a sense of belonging.
Government and community partnership
No single government or organization can do this alone.
- City of CambridgeThe City can help identify land, buildings, zoning options, community needs and local partnerships.
- Region of WaterlooThe Region can coordinate housing, homelessness services, social services, public health, referrals and community resources.
- Province of OntarioThe Province can support health care, addiction treatment, mental-health services, treatment capacity, operating funding and capital investment.
- Federal governmentThe federal government can support housing and infrastructure investment, capital funding, innovation, research and programs that can be used in other communities.
Community agencies, treatment providers, housing organizations, Indigenous partners, businesses, faith organizations, volunteers and people with lived experience must also have a meaningful role.
A City councillor can bring proposals to City council and work with partners. Council decisions need council support; the Region and Province decide their own services and funding.
A supporting proposal
A 90-day reintegration pilot
George’s supporting document explores a voluntary, screened and supervised pilot for eligible people on parole for non-violent offences.
The proposed stages are connection and supports in days 1 to 30, structured community contribution in days 31 to 60, and progress toward employment, education and independence in days 61 to 90.
Participation would depend on an assessment, the person’s conditions, appropriate supervision and coordination with correctional or parole authorities and community partners. Safety, insurance and defined duties would need to be settled, with no displacement of municipal workers or conflict with collective agreements.
This is an idea for partners to assess. It has no confirmed launch date, funding or participant count. The City would not decide on participation by itself.
The City’s part
What I’ll do as councillor
- Bring the City, Region, Province and community partners together to assess options for people facing homelessness.
- Take an inventory of vacant buildings and assess whether any could serve as supportive housing.
Questions for George?
George reads and answers every message himself, within two business days.
About this proposal
These ten points follow George’s five-page framework. The pilot idea comes from his separate momentum and reintegration document. Both describe proposals for governments and community partners to consider.