Voice of Business: It’s Time to Prioritize Addictions and Homelessness at the National, Provincial and Local Level

Addictions and homelessness in our city is uncomfortable.

It’s uncomfortable for the people living it. It’s uncomfortable for the community dealing with the issues that surround it. And it brings about uncomfortable conversations.

It’s in stark contrast to the current political enthusiasm for housing. Don’t get me wrong, we desperately need big solutions for housing in our city, province and country and it will play a role in alleviating homelessness. Right now, it seems every government body has a housing policy that they’re sharing with anyone who will listen. They have goals with numbers attached to them and financial incentives for achieving them. We have government ministries dedicated to this file, with their own associate and deputy ministers for additional support. We might be in a housing crunch right now, but the action from all levels of government instills a certain amount of optimism that things will improve.

Unfortunately, there isn’t that feeling of optimism when it comes to dealing with addictions and homelessness. There are a lot of good things in the works. There are community groups spearheading new programs and governments launching new social supports. But there’s a lack of strategic planning to get us out of the crisis we are in. And make no mistake, communities across Canada are in a crisis.

We need governments to set targets for eliminating homelessness, decreasing addictions, reducing poverty, and eliminating barriers to mental health supports — targets that all levels of government can work together to achieve. This should be prioritized as one of the highest profile portfolios.

Defining this issue is also uncomfortable and complex. Many people addicted to drugs aren’t homeless and there are many homeless people who are not using drugs. We can’t ignore the role that poverty, trauma, and a lack of mental health supports play into this. It’s uncomfortable to address the fact that, in Canada, Indigenous people are eight times more likely to be homeless.

The Chamber recently met with a group of businesses who are frustrated with the increase in antisocial behaviour in their neighbourhood. They’re dealing with regular property damage, increased shoplifting, and people accosting and assaulting staff. They’re regularly cleaning up human feces, needles, and used condoms. They’ve invested in expensive security systems, shortened hours to avoid closing in the dark, and begun locking their doors during the day. As fellow humans, they want to continue to show compassion to our most vulnerable population, which also takes an emotional toll.

There is a real lack of optimism on this issue. Talking about this with businesses, elected leaders, and government staff alike, there is very little feeling that we are going to be in a better situation in the foreseeable future.

This is one of the biggest issues we are facing right now. None of us have the knowledge or means to fix it on our own. We need all three levels of government to prioritize and dedicate significant resources to this. We need to know that when these pilot projects and social service contracts run out, our community is going to be in a better position than when we started.

Let’s all get uncomfortable — We can’t shy away from this issue any longer.

Click here to listen to Joel’s interview on Ontario Morning with Ramraajh Sharvendiran

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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