London’s new supportive housing site offers a real-world example as Sarnia continues to navigate approvals, concerns, and next steps.
A new supportive housing community has officially opened in London, Ontario, offering a glimpse of what similar projects could look like in communities like Sarnia, where plans remain in earlier stages.
The City of London announced the opening of Coves Landing, a 50-unit supportive housing development designed for people who have experienced homelessness and require more than just a place to live. The project integrates housing with on-site supports, including health care, mental health and addiction services, and assistance with daily living. The site at 46 Elmwood Place, formerly a long-term care home, was retrofitted for the project.
Supportive housing differs from traditional affordable housing by combining permanent housing with wraparound services. The goal is not only to move people indoors, but to help them remain housed long term.
London’s project was supported through multiple levels of government and community partnerships. The City contributed more than $2 million through Ontario’s Build Faster Fund and continues to provide up to $500,000 annually through rent supplements to ensure affordability. The project is operated by Indwell, with support from local and federal partners, and is part of a broader coordinated response to homelessness in the region.
In Sarnia, a similar supportive housing model has been proposed but has not yet reached the construction stage.
Indwell has put forward plans for a supportive housing development at 333 George Street, on land donated by Lambton County. The proposal includes approximately 50 units, with on-site supports such as nursing care, mental health and addiction services, and housing support workers.
The project is intended to address a significant local need. Data presented to council in 2025 indicated there are more than 1,000 households on the centralized housing waitlist and nearly 300 individuals experiencing homelessness in the community.
However, progress has been slowed by ongoing public debate and planning discussions.
Residents in the surrounding neighbourhood have raised concerns about safety, concentration of services in the area, and the level of consultation.
Those concerns prompted additional steps at the municipal level, including a direction for city staff to develop a formal safety plan in collaboration with police and county officials.
There have also been attempts to reconsider the location entirely, including proposals to identify alternative sites.
The Sarnia project remains in the approval and planning phase, with no confirmed construction timeline publicly finalized.
