The mayors of Northern Ontario’s five largest municipalities have endorsed the ‘Solve the Crisis’ campaign launched by Ontario’s Big City Mayors, and are calling on the Government of Ontario to implement the campaign’s recommended actions.
In a news release, the group says that like the communities represented by Ontario’s Big City Mayors, the Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors (NOLUM) municipalities – Greater Sudbury, North Bay, Timmins, Thunder Bay, and Sault Ste. Marie – are grappling with the growing homelessness crisis.
They say that despite their best efforts, the municipalities lack the necessary government support to effectively address the issue.
They argue that municipalities did not create the homelessness crisis and do not have the resources to solve it, yet they are being forced to manage its impacts.
“Homelessness is an increasingly complex and challenging situation. Municipalities do not have the funding capacity or jurisdictional authority to implement the necessary programs and supports independently. We’re doing what we can, but we cannot do it alone,” said Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker in the release.
Thunder Bay Mayor Ken Boshcoff says the campaign has actionable steps to make a meaningful difference in communities.
“Through NOLUM, we have a unified voice and we’re using it to urge the government to implement the campaign’s recommendations,” said Boshcoff.
The mayors' group said the Solve the Crisis campaign is more than a call for help – it’s a comprehensive plan to assist municipalities in addressing this challenging situation.
Key recommendations include:
- Appointing a single minister provincially to bring cross-ministry focus to this issue and fund that ministry appropriately.
- Have the new provincial minister strike a task force to advise and make recommendations on solutions to these issues with a cross-section of stakeholders and commit to funding the recommendations.
- Provide the municipality with resources to transition homeless and underused individuals to appropriate housing with the necessary supports Fund a 24/7 crisis response service across the province to relieve the pressure on hospital emergency centres and first responders.
“Homelessness isn’t just an issue for the Greater Toronto Area. Small-to mid-sized municipalities, like those in Northern Ontario, are often overlooked when it comes to homelessness, making it crucial for NOLUM to highlight the impact across the north and advocate for the necessary support,” said Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau.
Increased support from the upper levels of government is urgently needed, said Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre.
“Like my colleagues, I’ve witnessed the profound impacts of homelessness, and I’m confident that the recommendations from the Solve the Crisis campaign will greatly benefit our communities,” he said.
With recent provincial data showing homelessness continuing to rise, North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico says municipalities are ready to help, but the province has to support the efforts.
The group asked those who wanted to learn more about the Solve the Crisis campaign to visit solvethecrisis.ca.
They said residents are asked to participate in the campaign through the correspondence portal on the website and by contacting their local MPP.
