Municipal Leaders (EOWC-WOWC-EOMC) Support ‘Solve the Crisis’ Campaign to Address Homelessness and Mental Health

Ottawa – Representing 230 municipalities and over 2.6 million people across Ontario, the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, and Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus join the call to action around the ‘Solve the Crisis’ Campaign, led by the Ontario Big City Mayors.

During their joint meeting at the start of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) 125th Conference, 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.

“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.” – EOWC Chair, Peter Emon, Warden of Renfrew County

There is a homelessness and mental health crisis happening on streets across our communities, small and big, rural and urban. 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.

“This is something we (the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus) 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.” – EOMC Chair, Jeff Leal, Mayor of the City of Peterborough

We appreciate the actions that both the Federal and Ontario 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 we need to do more to ‘Solve the Crisis’ together as government partners, and we need to act swiftly.

As municipalities continue to rise, the rising number of homeless encampments and the human toll of the opioid crisis are symptoms of deeper system failures that hurt Ontario’s overall social and economic prosperity. The WOWC, EOMC, and EOWC will be sending a letter to Premier 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 a quality of life that reflects modern-day and front-line realities.

Organizations and Ontarians can join the call to support the ‘Solve the Crisis’ campaign by visiting www.solvethecrisis.ca.