The Welcoming Streets Program in downtown Belleville will continue for another year.
On Monday, Belleville City Council approved $140,000 from the Tax Rate Stabilization reserve fund for the Downtown Improvement Area initiative which includes two staff.
The program offers support to individuals experiencing homelessness and downtown business owners.
It has resulted in a reduction in calls to local police departments as downtown businesses are able to call Welcoming Streets directly for support.
Councillor Tyler Allsopp calls it an incredibly important program for the downtown core.
“A couple months ago at a recent council meeting, we made a declaration that we have a crisis related to homelessness and the call was put out to the province and to the federal government to do more on that front. But at the same time I think we have a responsibility to keep programs that are working moving forward and having the effect that they’re having on the community.”
Hastings County denied funding to the program last month.
Should an alternative source of funding be obtained via grant or other method, the money would be repaid to the city.
