PelhamToday received the following letter to the editor regarding a proposal to end Niagara Region’s state of emergency for homelessness, mental health, and addictions
A recent motion by St. Catharines Regional Councillor, Laura Ip called for ending the Region state of emergency on mental health, homelessness and addiction and transitioning the emergency to a crisis. A move that makes absolutely no sense given that we have received $20.8 million dollars from the provincial government (Niagara homeless prevention) and $9 million dollars from the federal government (emergency domestic-abuse focus shelters in St. Catharines and Fort Erie). As Thorold City Councillor stated in his letter to PelhamToday...why change something that works?
Keeping the state of emergency on mental health, homelessness and addiction ensures that Niagara Regional Council are accountable (due to the obligations outlined in emergency management legislation) to immediately addressing the devastation that these societal ills are causing on our Region.
I was pleased that common sense prevailed at the July 20th meeting of Niagara Regional Council, who chose not to support Councillor Ip's motion and instead supported a motion by Mayor Wayne Redekop, Fort Erie, to refer the matter back to the Public Health and Social Services committee requesting staff present data to justify the change from emergency to crisis.
Ending the mental health, homelessness and addiction emergency without any data to justify the change is proof that Councillor Laura Ip's motion is symbolic. The Regional Councillors who supported Ip's motion in Public Health and Social Services are supporting ending the emergency simply because they feel like it. This is an extremely irresponsible way to govern in my opinion and I am relieved that Mayor Wayne Redekop's motion won the day at the Regional Council meeting and that common sense prevailed.
I'm bewildered as a proud Indigenous person that Councillor Ip, who holds committee membership with Pelham Regional Councillor, Diana Huson on the Region's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee would not recognize that Niagara's state of emergency on mental health, homelessness and addiction is viewed by many in Niagara's Indigenous community as a collateral benefit to Indigenous Reconciliation.
In fact, after Niagara's emergency declaration there have been a growing number of Indigenous communities who have also declared similar emergencies on mental health, housing and addiction.
Finally, in terms of how your Pelham Regional Councillors voted on ending the state of emergency:
Mayor Redekop's motion was supported by Mayor Marvin Junkin who also serves as Niagara Regional Councillor for Pelham. Niagara Regional Councillor for Pelham, Diana Huson voted against the motion and in fact posted a video to social media the night before the Regional Council meeting supporting ending the emergency in Niagara and changing it to a crisis without any data to follow.
Steven Soos
Welland
