The last 20 hours have been a very challenging time for our community. I’m deeply saddened and troubled by the tragedy around the Montreal Street encampment. My thoughts are with the victims of the assault and with the friends, families, and loved ones of those who have passed away. I am thinking about the remaining victim and praying for their recovery.

Throughout yesterday, I followed the situation and reached out to some residents near the encampment, to whom I have previously spoken. Homeowners and businesses have faced difficulties due to their proximity to the encampment and the Integrated Care Hub (ICH). In the short term, the City can provide security and should look to compensate those who have been living and working close by.

However, this does not diminish the importance of the ICH’s services to our community. The ICH offers essential health and social services to some of our most vulnerable residents, and we should strive to support that goal.

Mayor Paterson has declared that the safe injection site and the ICH should be closed immediately. I do not want to make decisions so quickly, especially decisions that will have ripple effects across our community. I would wait for the police to investigate and report. We do not know who this assailant is and/or if they were a patron of the ICH or what their motives were. Could they have done the same thing somewhere on Princess Street? We must understand what happened and why, and then take the next step. 

Before making a decision to close the ICH, we need to consider the implications. Where do the individuals from the encampment go and what are the potential consequences of their displacement? Most shelters in the city are already operating at full capacity and they lack the resources required to deal with mental health and addictions issues. 

These people struggling with addictions are real people, loved ones. Our society and our values mean that we cannot leave them behind to fight homelessness, mental illness and addictions on their own. When it comes to clearing the encampment without preparing places to live for those displaced, it is not even clear that this is constitutional.

Consider the recent experience of Belleville, a city without the equivalent of the ICH. They had to ask the province for $2 million to address a mass overdose crisis – 13 overdoses in one two-hour stretch and six overdose deaths over three weeks in March. 

These people struggling with addictions are real people, loved ones. Our society and our values mean that we cannot leave them behind to fight homelessness, mental illness and addictions on their own. When it comes to clearing the encampment without preparing places to live for those displaced, it is not even clear that this is constitutional.

In January 2023, the City of Kingston declared an unprecedented mental health and addictions crisis, calling on the province to fund treatment and rehabilitation beds – supportive housing. That is a resource that we still lack, hindering individuals from moving beyond the ICH and moving beyond their addictions. 

I continue to believe that provincial funding for long-term supportive housing is key to any solution for our community. People need supports so that they can stay on their treatments and recovery plans and rebuild their lives. 

There are actions available right now. The Crossroads Village cabins would provide a near-immediate supply of 18 supportive housing units but need operating funds. 

When the Legislature returns, I will introduce a motion calling on the provincial government to base decisions regarding mental health and addictions on evidence, rather than “opinion,” as the Premier has stated. Lives and communities are at stake and we cannot put them at further risk by making decisions based on opinion rather than fact.