A person who experienced homelessness sits with their belongings as city workers move to clear an encampment on Toronto's Bay Street on May 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Ontario's Big City Mayors are urging the provincial government to reassess mental health laws and consider expanding involuntary treatment options for individuals struggling with drug addiction and homelessness. Representing 29 mayors from cities with populations over 100,000, the organization is not taking a definitive stance on involuntary treatment—a practice that the government of British Columbia is planning to broaden. Instead, they aim to initiate a conversation with provincial leaders, pointing out that homelessness has surged across Ontario since the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting both large and small communities.
In recent years, encampments have appeared throughout the province, coinciding with a sharp increase in housing costs, both for buying and renting. Overdose deaths have also risen alarmingly; nearly 2,600 Ontarians lost their lives to opioids last year, a staggering 50% increase compared to 2019, particularly impacting the homeless population due to the prevalence of fentanyl.
Josh Morgan, the mayor of London, highlighted the lack of adequate facilities to provide timely care for those dealing with mental health issues and addiction. “This is a crisis that requires urgent action from the government,” he stated.
The mayors are calling for an immediate review of two specific laws: the Mental Health Act and the Health Care Consent Act, which currently permit short-term involuntary hospital admissions. Morgan noted that the scale of the mental health crisis was not fully envisioned when these laws were originally established. He emphasized the importance of consulting healthcare professionals and municipalities during the review process to determine whether mandatory treatment is the right approach.
While Health Minister Sylvia Jones and Associate Minister of Mental Health Michael Tibollo have not dismissed the idea of expanding involuntary treatment, they advocate for voluntary options and are focused on increasing the number of available treatment beds.
As part of their upcoming legislative session, Premier Doug Ford’s government plans to implement new rules that will close ten supervised consumption sites located within 200 meters of schools and daycare centers and eliminate needle exchange programs. Instead, the province intends to adopt an abstinence-based treatment model, with plans to introduce new "homelessness and addiction recovery treatment hubs" next year and create 375 supportive housing units at a cost of $378 million. This shift has sparked significant backlash from advocates, healthcare workers, and those experiencing homelessness.
Barrie’s mayor, Alex Nuttall, expressed support for a collective call among mayors for a more defined position on mandatory involuntary treatment laws. He expressed relief over the mayors' decision to advocate for the provincial government to explore strengthening existing care options.
The issue of encampments and public drug use has become a pressing concern for the mayors, who launched a “solve the crisis” campaign earlier this year to urge the province to take more action to assist homeless individuals and struggling businesses. According to the mayors, there are currently around 1,400 encampments across Ontario.
In addition to their requests, the mayors want both the provincial and federal governments to participate in any legal actions that may restrict municipalities from managing and prohibiting encampments. They are also calling for a significant expansion of residential and community-based treatment programs and reforms in the justice system to allow for rehabilitation referrals for certain offenses instead of punitive measures like incarceration. Furthermore, they are urging the federal government to allocate the promised $250 million for municipalities as part of a national strategy to address encampments.
Guelph’s mayor, Cam Guthrie, expressed his frustration and sense of urgency. “We are facing a crisis of encampments, opioid addiction, and mental health in our province, and we shouldn’t have to keep asking for help,” he said. “We need the province’s support urgently and without delay.”
