Ontariomayors, police chiefs and businesses offer more help to address risinghomelessnessand opioid crisis I am appealing to the state. cities and small towns.
Ontario's metropolitan mayors, a group that includes 29 mayors from cities with populations of 100,000 or more, announced two months ago that the state and Prime Minister Doug Ford It called for an emergency meeting with theopioid crisis and mental health issues, said Cam Guthrie, chairman of the organization.
So far, the state has not complied with its demands, said Guthrie, who is also mayor of Guelph, Ont. He said he was "extremely disappointed" that the group's caucuses were kept waiting on such an important issue.
As mayors' caucuses met with Deputy Minister for Mental Health Michael Tyvolo at the Ontario Municipal Association's annual meeting this week, Guthrie said that dealing with such a complex issue would be difficult. Said that meetings with multiple ministries were needed.
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"Every day we do not get together with other stakeholders to come up with some kind of solution, there is a struggle and a crisis. It's the day that gets worse," he said. He said.
Local governments across the state are facing a growing homeless population, spurred by the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and growing dislike and mistrust of large shelters with collective environments. are coping with an increase in
As a result, large and small encampments have sprung up in many communities and acted as lightning rods. Many have been forcibly cleared by the police, only to see smaller ones appear elsewhere.
Guthrie said the city was not set up to address the medical needs of homeless and addicted people, noting that health care falls under state jurisdiction.
A spokesman for Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Steve Clark said the province "ensures a safe, stable and affordable place to call home for all Ontarians, especially our most vulnerable." ' said.
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The Government of Ontario has committed approximately $25 million in new annual funding to programs that help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness find housing, services and support. Investing dollars, said Victoria Podbielski. She added that the state's total annual investment in homelessness prevention programs is almost $500 million.
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Other organizations support calls from major city mayors to meet with states on twin crises. increase. Among them are the Ontario Municipal Association, the Ontario Police Chief, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
“They need to get involved and come up with the best solutions, and why they can do it effectively and efficiently. We are spending money and we are not getting results,” said Colin Best, AMO's new president and Halton Area Trustee.
Ontario Police Chief spokesman Joe Coote said community policing includes "tackling the root causes of poverty, homelessness and addiction of all kinds, and helping people get in touch with the justice system." It includes making sure that
"In our view, if we could solve these problems at the source, it would save people a lot of suffering and involvement in the justice system," he said.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce said it supports calls for state partnerships to "accelerate health- and economy-focused solutions to this crisis in the short and long term." .
"The opioid crisis continues to have a significant socio-economic impact on Ontario's businesses and communities, particularly in the northern regions, the construction industry, and other racialized and marginalized groups." .
© 2022 The Canadian Press
