11-12-2024 - No. 18 CITY OF� _�CANADA
"Fri
uiam
NIAGA� F
The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Resolution
November 12, 2024
No. 18 — Strengthening Existing System of Mandatory Mental Health Care
Moved by: Mayor Jim Diodati
Seconded by: Councillor Ruth-Ann Nieuwesteeg
• Whereas many Ontario mayors are asking the Province of Ontario to strengthen
the existing system of mandatory mental health care and to expand service to
treat those with severe and debilitating addictions; and
• Whereas risk to public safety is unacceptable; and
• Whereas illegal activity and disruptive public behaviours take place openly,
including drug use, solicitation, prostitution, human trafficking and have been
witnessed by and tolerated by residents as the authorities have no available
recourse; and
• Whereas discarded, used drug needles, defecating and urinating on public
property, setting fires to private and public property, theft and vandalism have
become common practice in neighbouring areas; and
• Whereas vulnerable people need help to navigate supports with drug addictions,
mental health and social support; and
• Whereas our community experienced the tragic death of a resident walking his
dog in the park in broad daylight last month at the hands of someone who should
have received needed treatment; and
• Whereas in the month of October alone the City of Niagara Falls received 29
encampment complaints, which, if allowed to remain unchallenged, could cost
millions of tax dollars to deal with large scale clean-ups, rather than addressing
the concerns in real time to prevent this from happening; and
• Whereas in 2023, the City of Niagara Falls invested more than $500,000 on
encampment clean-up and related vandalism costs; and
• Whereas this is not a municipal responsibility but as a City we continue to incur
significant costs without the correct legislative tools and government support to
solve the core issues; and
• Whereas the chronically homeless population in the Niagara Region is
approximately 647 people, just more than 0.1% of the populus, causing a
disproportionate burden on families in our community; and
• Whereas every neighbourhood in our community has been affected, many
businesses have moved and residents face daily ongoing challenges, seeing no
marked improvement in the situation.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
➢ The City of Niagara Falls join many other Ontario mayors who are asking
Premier Doug Ford to use the Constitution's notwithstanding clause to give
authorities and police more power to break up homeless encampments and force
more people into mandatory drug and mental health treatment; and
o To request trespass laws to be written to include jail time for "repetitive
trespass" and to empower police to arrest repeat trespassers; and
o To enact new legislation which would ban open drug use, similar to laws in
place on alcohol; and
o To establish a new court diversion system to redirect offenders toward
rehabilitation and more appropriate supports; and
o To request that the current Provincial Government act as an intervenor in
court cases on encampments; and
o To advocate for the position that courts should not be dictating
homelessness policy; and
o To request the government look at using every legal tool available to the
Province to clear encampments and restore dignity and safety to public
spaces; and
o To ask for investment in 24-hour crisis centers to relieve pressures on
emergency rooms and first responders; and
o To consolidate appropriate funding with the Federal Government for the
unhoused community where gaps exist; and
o To establish a ministry and minister with appropriate funding and power as
a single point of contact; and
o To create open lines of communication between responsible and relevant
Federal ministries, Provincial areas of responsibility and municipalities.
➢ That this be circulated to local area municipalities, Members of Parliament and
Members of Provincial Parliament in Niagara, the Premier of Ontario and
appropriate ministries and the Prime Minister.
.AND The Seal of the Corporation to hereto affixed. Carried
/ 7‘. //P--/-"d
WILLIAM G.MATSON JAMES M.DIODATI
CITY CLERK MAYOR