'Just atrocious': London Cares says 6 street-involved people died last week in London

Six street-involved people died in London, Ont., last week, highlighting the need for a new plan to address homelessness that is now weeks away.

The number of deaths was revealed to CBC News by Anne Armstrong, executive director of London Cares, the city-funded organization that oversees London's homeless outreach efforts. Armstrong could not release details about the deaths but said they are the result of a number of different factors.

While some involved drug overdoses, Armstrong said many of the deaths were connected to chronic health problems caused in part by long-term outdoor exposure to cold weather.

"I know right now on the streets, we're seeing people with some significant and severe medical needs," said Armstrong. "But six [deaths] in the last week was a shock. It's just atrocious."

Ryan, who asked not to have his last name reported, has struggled with homelessness and addiction and said the number of deaths in a single week is "staggering."

"You have thousands of people out here now that are in survival mode," he said. "I've seen a lot of good people shut out of some of the shelters."

Armstrong said she hopes the deadly week is "an outlier" and not an indication of what's to come in the year ahead. London Cares operates a shelter and also does outreach work to people living in encampments.

The organization posts and regularly updates statistics about the number of people accessing its services.

There were 50 deaths among those who've been in contact with the organization for the 12-month period ending March 31.

The number of urban encampments visited by London Cares increased by 109 per cent in the 2022 fiscal year compared to the previous year.

London Cares operates day and overnight resting spaces where those in need can access basic needs such as shelter, a washroom and clothing.

However, there were almost 4,900 instances where people seeking help were turned away due to capacity limitations. The total number of calls London Cares received has grown by 283 per cent.

"The need is growing exponentially," said Armstrong.