BarrieToday welcomes letters to the editor at [email protected]. Please include your full name, daytime phone number and address (for verification of authorship, not publication). The following letter is in response to ''Complex problem': Council takes aim at chronic homelessness,' published May 17, and 'Council paints stark picture around need for homelessness plan,' published May 18.
The Simcoe County Health Coalition (SCHC) is a local, non-partisan, non-profit, grassroots community organization that was created with the goal of protecting and improving our public health-care system. We are grounded in the foundational principles of equity and compassion that are imbued in the Canada Health Act, and we are unified by our belief in universal access to health care through public services.
SCHC stands with the Barrie Homelessness and Housing Justice Network and other community organizations in calling out the City of Barrie for their actions on May 17. A motion that on the surface intends to address homelessness was pushed unanimously by Mayor Alex Nuttall and the 10 ward councillors without consultation. However, upon closer analysis, this motion leverages unfounded measures against citizens experiencing the brunt of our housing crisis and the inadequate support of public services.
In effect, the motion criminalizes homelessness and the provision of charity and support. It is undemocratic, out of touch, and will negatively affect the health and well-being of a significant portion of unhoused people whose only crime is trying to survive.
The great majority of unhoused individuals endure enormous social inequalities. Many suffer from mental illnesses, concurrent disorders, and even present untreated dual diagnoses. It is even more common for them to have been born and lived all their lives in precarious housing, generational poverty, and food insecurity, and to have suffered severe emotional and/or physical trauma.
A good proportion belong to an ethnic minority or marginalized group, have passed through the foster-care system, and/or have not completed formal education. They commonly have to overcome steep barriers to access educational, health-care and social services. It should be revealing to learn that the average life expectancy of a person living on the streets is 56 years, while the national average is 81.
A motion like the one passed by the council disregards all of these facts. Council has chosen to wilfully ignore reality and concentrate on the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality. It will deprive citizens of their right to share food and tents with a neighbour in need, which is a neglectful waste of resources and simply cruel. The use of private security, namely One Community Solutions, further stigmatizes this community, rather than using and expanding outreach proposals already existing in our city to ensure citizens are fed and have access to adequate health and housing services.
We are disturbed by the municipal government’s lack of accountability and lack of transparency regarding the motion. To railroad this through council without reports, consultation or the ability for the community to participate is irresponsible, and profoundly troubling.
We stand with the unhoused people of Barrie and request that the motion be rescinded. We also recommend council to start working collaboratively with community organizations already involved in caring for our unhoused citizens, in order to provide real and creative solutions to homelessness in our city.
Anisa Carrascal
Mary Whittaker
Andre Sokolow
Simcoe County Health Coalition, co-chairs
