Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy's Statement on Ontario’s Homelessness, Mental Health, and Addictions Crisis

This weekend, I joined Ontario’s Big City Mayors and the Mayors and Regional Chairs of Ontario to collaborate on some of the most urgent challenges facing our communities - including the homelessness, mental health, and addictions crisis.

This crisis is affecting municipalities across the province, including Durham Region, where the latest data shows at least 1,871 people experiencing homelessness, with 338 of them in Whitby.

Municipalities have stepped up by investing in shelters, outreach, supportive housing, community safety initiatives, and partnerships with frontline organizations. But we can't solve a province-wide health and social services crisis on our own, and municipal property taxpayers can't continue carrying these growing costs.

That's why Ontario’s Big City Mayors has launched the next phase of the Solve the Crisis campaign: Reaction to Recovery.

We are calling for:

•   Expanded and timely access to recovery and treatment programs

•   A dedicated Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, supported by appropriate funding

•   A review of the Mental Health Act and Health Care Consent Act

•   Expanded addiction treatment and rehabilitation programs in provincial and federal correctional institutions

•   A declaration of emergency recognizing the severity of the homelessness, mental health and addictions crisis

We know there are successful models across Canada. What Ontario needs now is the leadership, political will, and sustained investment to put effective solutions in place here.

As mayor of Whitby and chair of Region of Durham’s Health and Social Services Committee, I will continue to advocate strongly on this issue.

The status quo is not an option. The human and financial costs of inaction are simply too high.

I encourage Whitby residents to visit solvethecrisis.ca and join our call to action.

Quick Facts

• Since opening in 2024, the Region of Durham’s shelter at 1635 Dundas Street in Whitby has operated at or near capacity, clear evidence of the urgent and growing need. Earlier this year, the federal government announced a $40 million investment in Phase 2 of the facility. The expansion will provide wraparound supports to help people move from homelessness into permanent housing, including transitional housing, addiction recovery, palliative care, and a medical clinic.
  
  
• Whitby will also be home to a new Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub, led by Durham Community Health Centre. The hub will connect people experiencing addiction and mental health challenges with treatment, recovery services, primary care, supportive housing, and employment supports.
  
  
• Ontario’s Big City Mayors is an organization that includes mayors of 29 single and lower-tier cities with a population of 100,000 or more, who collectively represent nearly 70 per cent of Ontario’s population and almost 30 per cent of Canada’s population. OBCM advocates for issues and policies important to Ontario’s largest cities.