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In 2011, that rate was 33 per cent.

“The shelters are full, as we expect them to be,” Richardson said.

Each shelter also has overflow beds, and an additional set of crash beds are housed at Mission Services. Neither avenue was topped out over the holidays.

Crash beds serve Londoners who may be barred from traditional shelter beds because of behavioural or other issues, often as a result of drug use. Capacity has hovered around 70 per cent since April, Richardson said.

The overflow beds were put in place after a fall season of high demand.

“We want to have a backup plan fully operational in the event that everybody is full. That’s set up, in the event we need it. So far, we haven’t needed it,” Richardson said.

Coun. Maureen Cassidy, who chairs the community and protective services committee, called the December numbers “concerning.”

“That’s what we’re trying to get away from. It’s also more expensive to keep shelter beds as opposed to permanently housing people,” she said. “It’s in the best interest of everyone that we find a better way.”

She suggested municipalities like London will need provincial and federal government support to tackle the growing housing crisis.

Last week, politicians and community leaders took aim at the Ontario government’s Housing Supply Action Plan, with a focus on reducing home prices and rental costs by increasing the supply of housing, but not necessarily affordable units.

“It will be interesting to see going forward how the (Doug) Ford government intends to deal with this issue. They’ve been talking about the issue of having more housing at more price points, and that there will be some kind of trickle-down effect. I’m not convinced that’s going to be as effective as they’re hoping it will be,” Cassidy said.