The issues of homelessness and poverty have been on the forefront of discussions in Thunder Bay as of late, the problems clearly exacerbated by the pandemic.
Along with this, there have been notable instances of violence towards the homeless population, an individual recently charged with driving over a tent in the County Park area.
This has sparked questions in the community about what more can the municipality do to help and prevent future acts of violence.
While homelessness and mental health are issues that are mainly addressed by the province or federal government, a memo was brought forward to city council during the meeting that outlined efforts that are happening on the municipal level.
“This information demonstrates the length of work, including coordination and facilitation support,” explains City Manager Norm Gale. “It includes funding and in-kind contributions to make a difference for vulnerable individuals in our community.”
The document mentioned a dozen different initiatives that are helping the vulnerable population in Thunder Bay, including Thunder Bay Drug Strategy, Community Safety and Well Being Plan, and Vulnerable Populations COVID-19 Planning Table which assisted individuals during the pandemic in ways such as providing them with masks.
Council did praise the various groups that are currently helping the vulnerable community, but most including At-Large Councillor Mark Bentz recognized the severity of the issue and a need to address it further.
“I certainly appreciate all the efforts we are doing, but clearly we have a problem that is not going away, in fact you can say that it is getting worse,” says Bentz. “The last thing we want to see is harm coming to these individuals that are suffering already. I view it as kind of a duty of society to take care of those within it, and our citizens are part of that society, we have a responsibility. To the extent we act is up to us, but the question will be coming to council about how they want to look at this.”
The full document with breakdown of services, organizations, and costs can be found here.
