Mayor Ken Boshcoff will not declare a State of Emergency on Homelessness, but he is calling for a meeting with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) and the Fort William First Nation (FWFN).
The two First Nations called on the city on January 23, as a polar vortex brought temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius, to declare a State of Emergency.
“This crisis has gone on long enough. There will be people sleeping outside tonight as the temperatures reach dangerous levels,” the statement said. “People are dying in the streets, in public parks, in bus shelters. We need to be honest and call this what it is: an emergency.”
But in a response, the mayor has argued that the city is already taking all the necessary steps to address homelessness and extreme weather.
Mayor Boshcoff pointed to the city’s planned temporary shelter village, which will begin construction in the spring, as an example of a measure the city is taking to deal with the homelessness crisis.
He also referenced the city’s Severe Weather Response Plan, which was activated during the polar vortex.
“While a state of emergency is one possible tool, it will not in itself unlock new housing or funding,” the statement read.
The Mayor’s full statement can be read on the city website.
At the time of publication, the Nishnawbe Aski Nation had not responded to requests for comment from this reporter.
