In what has been called an “unprecedented humanitarian crisis,” municipal leaders across Ontario are rallying the provincial and federal governments for more funding to better address homelessness and mental health issues.
Representing 230 municipalities and more than 2.6 million people across Ontario, the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC), Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (WOWC), and Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus (EOMC) have announced they are lending their support to “Solve the Crisis” — a new campaign led by Ontario’s Big City Mayors, a caucus representing mayors of Ontario cities with populations of 100,000.
During a meeting at the start of the 125th annual conference of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in Ottawa this week (Aug. 18 to 21), the three caucuses stated their collective support around the need for the Ontario and federal governments “to take immediate and targeted action” to help solve the crisis around homelessness and mental health, a media release noted.
“This is something we (the EOMC) have been pursuing, over the last year — the need for substantial investment by both the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada, to deal with this unprecedented humanitarian crisis that all municipalities are now facing,” said Jeff Leal, EOMC chair and mayor of the City of Peterborough, in the release.
During the AMO conference, Leal accepted an award from AMO recognizing the City of Peterborough’s innovative modular bridge housing community project that helped end a controversial tent encampment of people experiencing homelessness in downtown Peterborough.
The partners in the Solve the Crisis campaign say the homelessness and mental health crisis is occurring on streets throughout communities whether they are small or big, rural and urban.
VIDEO: “We need your help” – Ontario’s Big City Mayors
“Municipalities continue to step up, but do not have the tools, expertise or capacity to fully address the intersectional and complex issues around housing, homelessness, health care, and social services,” the release states.
They said they appreciate the actions that both governments have taken to date, including “Ontario’s Roadmap to Wellness,” the creation of the “Homelessness Prevention Program,” and investing in youth wellness hubs. But it’s not enough, according to the municipalities.
“We need to do more to ‘Solve the Crisis’ together as government partners, and we need to act swiftly.”
Brian Ostrander, warden of Northumberland County, recently told kawarthaNOW the theme of underfunding in areas of social services and housing was a common thread throughout Northumberland County’s recently released 2023 annual report.
In recent years, regional governments like Northumberland have been asked to spend more money in areas traditionally funded by the province.
“We simply cannot keep providing services like social services and housing services using property taxes,” Ostrander said. “Property taxes only make sense for linear projects like roads and bridges — but even then, in small and rural communities we don’t have the base to adequately keep up with the networks that we have.”
The rising number of homeless encampments and the human toll of the opioid crisis are a symptom of “deeper system failures that hurt Ontario’s overall social and economic prosperity,” the release stated.
The WOWC, EOMC, and EOWC said they intend to send a letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford “to further underscore the need” for a social and economic prosperity review.
“We need a municipal fiscal relationship that supports the foundations of a strong economy, sustainable communities and quality of life that reflects modern day and front-line realities.”
EOWC chair and Renfrew County warden Peter Emon said, “in communities of all sizes, not just big cities, people are unhoused, suffering and dying.”
“We need to help them and municipalities do not have the financial tools and resources to do it alone. It is time to take action to Solve the Crisis together with municipalities, the Ontario government, the federal government, and community partners at the table.”
The caucuses invite organizations and Ontario residents to join the call and support the Solve the Crisis campaign by visiting solvethecrisis.ca.
