London won’t enact a new drug policy for taxpayer-funded emergency homeless shelters meant to clarify and standardize admission rules, but the decision faced sharp criticism for being politically motivated and confusing. The 2026 Emergency Shelter Guidelines aim to modernize the 15 year old policy , including a clause that possessing illegal drugs should not automatically prevent someone from entering a shelter However on Tuesday, Council voted 9-6 in support of an amendment by Coun. Susan Stevenson to “remove any provision that permits illegal substances to be brought into or possessed within emergency shelter locations.” “There’s a strawman argument put out there, oh, who’s going to strip search them to make sure there’s nothing in there?” Stevenson asserted. “It’s a far cry from saying that, and that (drugs) are allowed.” Stevenson argued that the change doesn’t block admission, it simply leaves the updated guidelines silent on the issue of drug possession inside emergency shelters. “Now we’re making a decision that’s going to create confusion, and this is not an area where we need to be confused,” countered Coun. David Ferreira. Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis suggested omitting the clause would create the potential for a drug-free shelter in the future for homeless Londoners without active addictions. “It’s just simply going to be up to the shelter providers,” explained Lewis. “If someone chooses to come forward through the [procurement)]process and offer a space that is [drug] possession free, then that will be their choice.” “I think what this is doing is it’s muddying the waters, and we’re returning to a place of ambiguity,” responded Coun. Hadleigh McAlister. McAlister then suggested a motivation behind the motion. “I don’t like how it has been used for political posturing purposes,” he told colleagues. “We’re not debating a war on drugs here. This is not a pro and anti-drug vote.” City staff emphasized that denying entry to a shelter because someone has a medical condition, including addiction, would potentially be grounds for a Human Rights complaint. Initially the change was defeated 7-8, but Lewis immediately notified colleagues that he accidentally voted incorrectly. A second vote flipped the result, removing of the clause regarding illegal drug possession. After the meeting, Mayor Josh Morgan reiterated that the decision lets shelters maintain their current rules, “The [shelter] providers can continue as they would. They can follow all applicable laws. There’s some legislation in the Human Rights area about addictions being a disability, and you can’t deny service. The onus there would be on the shelters to continue to follow those laws and guidelines.”
