Homelessness

The best way to reduce homelessness is affordable housing, plus transportation so people can get to and from work. I'm advocating for affordable housing.

I wish I had the solution to this issue. I wish anyone had the answer to this issue.

I don't believe there is one single solution to homelessness. The best approach is to prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place and, when that isn't possible help them get into stable housing as quickly as possible.

The County of Simcoe is responsible for social services and homelessness programs, but the Town still has an important role. We make decisions about housing and planning, we can advocate for services and funding, and we can make sure the agencies working directly with vulnerable residents have a voice when municipal decisions affect them.

As a member of Council, I have supported the Town's collaboration with the County and our local service providers.

As Chair of the New Tecumseth Public Library Board, I also recognize the increasingly important role our libraries play as accessible community spaces where people can connect with information and services. I would like to see stronger coordination between the Town, County, Library and local agencies so people aren't left trying to navigate a complicated system on their own.

Going forward, I would also like New Tecumseth to have a more regular conversation with the organizations doing this work locally. They know where the gaps are because they see them every day.

I have supported SHIFT through volunteering, advocacy and delivering support through council. I believe we have the means to care and help our most vulnerable while also keeping our downtowns safe for everyone including those without a place to sleep.

Homelessness is a growing issue across rhe country and the solution lies in the collaboration and pooling of resources from all levels of government. With the province defunding many of the services through DC reduction, our town needs to make an strong effort to lobby the province for funding.

I sit on the affordable housing committee at the County where I have advocated we need more transitional housing. I plan to continue those efforts as Mayor.

I believe the best way to reduce homelessness is to work on both sides of the problem , helping people who are already experiencing homelessness, while doing everything reasonably possible to prevent people from losing their housing in the first place.

There isn’t one cause of homelessness, and there isn’t going to be one solution. The cost and availability of housing are certainly part of it, but people can also find themselves without housing because of job loss, family breakdown, mental health or addiction challenges, disability, domestic violence or simply an unexpected financial crisis.

That means our response has to be equally broad.

We need more attainable and affordable housing options, including different types and sizes of housing. We need to support programs that help people remain housed when they experience a temporary crisis. And for those already experiencing homelessness, emergency shelter is important, but ultimately the goal has to be moving people toward safe, stable, permanent housing with the appropriate supports.

New Tecumseth is fortunate to have organizations such as S.H.I.F.T. and CONTACT Community Services doing this work locally, and I believe the municipality should continue working cooperatively with these organizations and the County of Simcoe.

The County has primary responsibility for social housing and homelessness services, but I don’t believe that means our local Council has no role. Municipal decisions about planning, housing supply, development, available land and partnerships can all contribute to solutions. Council can also advocate strongly to the County and provincial and federal governments when resources are needed.

As for what I’m personally doing right now, I want to be transparent: I am not currently involved directly with a specific homelessness program, so I wouldn’t want to suggest otherwise.

What I am doing is trying to better understand the issue, the services already available in our community and where the gaps remain. If elected, I would want to hear directly from the organizations doing this work and, equally importantly, from people with lived experience of homelessness or housing insecurity before deciding what role the Town can most effectively play.

For me, success isn’t simply finding someone a bed for one night. It’s helping prevent that person from needing the bed in the first place and, when they do need it, creating a realistic path back to stable housing.

Homelessness is made up of so many things. Many of us attribute it to one thing. However, the genetic makeup of how a person gets to that stage can differ greatly from others. So painting with one brush will not solve it. When we try to do that it ends up making even more problems. A step in the right direction is affordable housing. Another is through support and accessibility to services. I was keenly interested in the Peterborough approach of a Sea Can settlement. I'd love to look at it closer and see if it has applications here in New Tecumseth. I'm currently a member of a couple different organizations/committees that are looking at root causes and possible solutions. We should be willing to learn from other municipalities that further ahead then us.

This is a painful subject.

Having grown up in a Third World country, this is an issue that is difficult to reconcile for an evolved society. We need to do better.

The reality however is that so many people are struggling to make ends meet and could easily land in the same predicament. The changes to eviction laws and the increased cost of living have the potential to make the situation much worse.

In a previous lifetime living in a housing co-operative provided a great deal of support for my family and enabled us to afford a high quality of life and dignity. My personal experience inspires me to leverage our collective potential and find pathways to success and hope for so many who struggle throughout Simcoe County.

Working on the causes has to be part of the plan. But with the cold upon us we also have to provide immediate assistance without any prejudice.