Whitby Advocates For Local Priorities

Homelessness, healthcare, housing, and addressing the funding gap are Whitby’s focus for 2025

With the Ontario provincial election now underway and federal election on the horizon, the Town encourages residents to learn more about issues impacting Whitby through its new “Advocating For Our Town” webpage.

Whitby is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Canada. Due to this significant growth and limited financial resources being left to the local level of government, municipalities like Whitby are facing several challenges, including homelessness, healthcare, housing, and a widening municipal funding gap to support resident’s quality of life.

The Town is encouraging all levels of government to continue to work together and share costs to support solutions to challenges faced by all municipalities. This collective effort would also help Whitby meet its Community Strategic Plan’s vision of Whitby as an exceptional place to live, work, and explore.

Specific local priorities include:

• Homelessness: Tackling homelessness through comprehensive support programs and affordable housing initiatives is essential. A report released by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario shows that more than 80,000 Ontarians were known to be homeless in 2024, a number that has grown by more than 25 per cent since 2022; and municipal spending on homelessness and housing programs has also sky-rocketed since 2020, growing to more than $2.1 billion in 2024. The Town aims to work closely with community organizations and other levels of government to provide sustainable solutions to this challenge.
• Healthcare: Ensuring access to quality healthcare services and infrastructure, like a new hospital, as Whitby and Durham continue to grow is critical to supporting resident’s quality of life.

• Housing: Facilitating the development of diverse housing options to accommodate Whitby’s expanding population is a key focus.

• Funding Gap: Recent legislative changes have resulted in a funding gap, impacting the Town's ability to deliver essential services. Advocacy for a more equitable funding model between provincial, federal, and municipal governments remains a top priority.

Learn more about these and other priorities at whitby.ca/TownAdvocacy.

Quotes

Whitby is committed to advocating for the needs of our residents at every level of government. In collaboration with municipal organizations such as the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, Ontario’s Big City Mayors, and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Town is asking the federal and provincial governments to provide the funding and support necessary to address the pressing challenges facing municipalities.

- Elizabeth Roy, Mayor, Town of Whitby

More Information

More information is available in the attached backgrounder or online at whitby.ca/TownAdvocacy.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Corporate Communications
Erin Mikaluk, Manager, Communications and Creative Services, Town of Whitby
Phone: 289.314.6913
Email: mikaluke@whitby.ca

Office of the Mayor
Jillian Follert, Public Affairs Coordinator, Office of the Mayor
Phone: 289.387.9101
Email: follertj@whitby.ca