Rather than looking for ways to remove encampments from sight, Mayor Cam Guthrie and others should focus their efforts on creating housing policies to address the homelessness and affordability crises, says a coalition of local agencies.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy (WGDS) spoke out against the recent calls from 13 Ontario mayors, including Guthrie, for the premier to protect municipalities that take down encampments from court challenges under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by using the notwithstanding clause to shield them.
“We all want to see members of our community housed and well. We all want to feel safe in our communities. The use of the notwithstanding clause will not get us closer to reaching this shared goal,” reads the statement.
“In Guelph and Wellington county, there is a housing, mental health and substance use crisis, and we are experiencing increased pressures on our health and social support systems. We know there are strong links between people experiencing mental health and addictions concerns and their housing status.
“It is important that elected officials – including mayors – also recognize these links, however, we are concerned by the assertions that those who are unhoused and living in encampments are assumed to be a danger to themselves or others.”
The mayors’ letter requests that the provincial government intervene in any court case that “restricts the ability of municipalities to regulate and prohibit encampments,” stating “courts should not be dictating homelessness policy.”
Elected officials face complex challenges in managing and responding to issues of homelessness, the coalition acknowledges.
“As municipalities address this challenge, there is a need to ensure that responses to address concerns about community safety are appropriately balanced with the health, wellbeing and rights of community members who are unhoused.”
In addition to using the notwithstanding clause, the mayors’ letter asks the premier to strengthen the existing system of mandatory community-based and residential mental health care.
“Our focus should be on increasing access to voluntary treatment options,” WGDS states. “People who are actively seeking to make a change need access to voluntary crisis stabilization, withdrawal management, treatment and recovery supports. Currently, there are not enough options for people who want to change their substance use and the options that exist have frustrating waitlists and delays due to capacity issues.”
