The head of the Kenora District Services Board stresses the focus now should be finding solutions to the homelessness problem in our area.
In a 6-1 vote Tuesday, Kenora city council defeated a proposed public anti-loitering bylaw that would have allowed police to hand out $100 fines.
The change of heart came after councillors were flooded with phone calls and emails from community members as well as strong opposition from First Nation leaders.
However, Councillor Andrew Poirier stresses they still have an issue downtown and now is the time for everybody to step up and try and solve the problem.
KDSB Chief Administrative Officer Henry Wall agrees.
“It’s not about the loitering bylaw. What is happening in the community is a magnification of some of the challenges that have always been there. Now we add the pandemic to it and it has just exasperated the challenge.”
Wall states it takes a group effort to solve the crisis, stressing Kenora isn’t the only community suffering right now.
“How do we ensure that a loitering bylaw is not needed. That we are supporting people who are on the streets and not ending up on the streets in the first place. So I think that is what we need to be paying close attention to. Saying what supports do Mayor and Council need. What supports do our residents and our business community need.”
Wall adds “How do we ensure that we can protect our vulnerable population who are on the street at alarming rates right now. You know we’ve talked about having a housing-homelessness crisis in the past but it certainly has been exasperated by the pandemic just by the sheer number of individuals who are now on the streets.”
Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa says “Municipalities like Kenora and Sioux Lookout require support from higher levels of government to work on not only the issue of the emergency of people without homes but the deeper systemic change needed to help the vulnerable members of our communities. Implementing municipal anti-loitering by-laws is racism and will not solve the homelessness crisis in the North.”
Mamakwa adds “Real collaboration is needed to address the issues of colonialism and racism in our communities, as well as increased housing and social supports. Northwestern Ontario needs all of its leaders to deal proactively with these emergencies, especially those that adversely affect our disproportionately marginalized community members.”
Earlier in the week Thunder Bay council defeated a similar anti-loitering bylaw.
Earlier this month the Ontario government announced an additional $150-million for municipalities and urban Indigenous community partners to help protect vulnerable people from COVID-19 by improving renovating shelters, purchase new facilities and creating opportunities for longer-term housing.
The money can also be used to provide those in need with food, shelter and supplies.
The provincial investment more than doubles the funding currently flowing to local municipal service managers and Indigenous program administrators through the Social Services Relief Fund.
To date the government has invested $350-million for the fund.
