Barrie councillors have approved a seven-part plan to deal with a wide range of social issues, from mental health and addiction to homelessness.
It replaces Coun. Mike McCann’s pilot program to help end panhandling, criminal behaviour and drug dealing to create a safer downtown, which would have asked Barrie police for recommendations and would have included using paid-duty police officers or a private security company, from July to October.
McCann withdrew his motion Monday night, but said he had his doubts about the new approach and plan.
“I think we moved mountains tonight,” he said, “but I’m still not clear on how in the summer of 2022, anything is going to look different that the previous summer or the previous months.
“I’d like to… still add some urgency to get something done.”
Coun. Keenan Aylwin said help from other levels of government is key to dealing with these issues.“We cannot do it alone as a city,” he said. “We do not have the legislative power, we don’t have the financial power or the financial tools to address these issues on the scale that they’re on."
The motion that did pass came from Aylwin and Coun. Robert Thomson.
It’s that Barrie Polices Service be requested to present an implementation framework to city council outlining how they are going to carry out their legislated responsibility to meet the objectives of the provincially-legislated City of Barrie community safety and well-being plan, and continued collaboration efforts with all service partners to support those experiencing mental health crisis, addiction and homelessness.
And as part of their 2023 budget, the Barrie Police Services Board present council with a budget inclusive of the full complement of members required to support the community and safety well-being plan and implementation of the BPS strategic plan.
Correspondence would also be sent to the Ontario Provincial Police requesting OPP to continue their efforts to address the safety of the Highway 400 ramps.
“There’s not a person in here who says living on an on-ramp is humane,” Thomson said. “It’s a hazard, it’s dangerous. It’s not to criminalize the people living there.”
Correspondence would also be sent to the provincial government and local MPPs requesting them to make increased investment in resourcing social service agencies and continuing to collaborate on the important work of improving discharge planning from provincial institutions — such as hospitals, correctional institutions and mental health facilities — a priority.
The federal and provincial governments would also get correspondence requesting them to make significant investments in housing for low-income individuals and families to address the current housing and homelessness crisis.
Correspondence would also be sent to local MPPs, the minister of Children, Community, and Social Services, and the premier in support of immediately raising Ontario Works (OW) and Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) social assistance rates above the poverty line.
“If the province raises OW and ODSP immediately, we will see a difference this summer,” said Coun. Clare Riepma.
City staff would also investigate the feasibility of a pilot program to retain outreach workers and/or social workers to assist people experiencing homelessness and living in poverty to connect to services and to act as a resource for residents and businesses and report back to Barrie councillors.
City council will consider final approval of this motion at its June 6 meeting.
McCann’s motion, which was replaced and then withdrawn, said correspondence would be sent to the Barrie Police Services Board requesting that it consider and provide recommendations for a pilot program to run from July to October 2022 to eradicate panhandling on city streets and highway ramps, including the installation of planters along medians, in consultation with the OPP and municipal law enforcement.
The pilot program would also look at ending criminal disorder and behaviour, along with drug dealing, in downtown Barrie in order to create a safe place for residents, workers and small business owners. This would include alternatives to dropping off individuals from Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene in Barrie’s downtown, using paid-duty officers or a private security firm, and a report on any financial impacts.
The Barrie Police Services Board would be requested to hold special meetings, if required, to expedite a response to the city on these matters.
And if the police board provided a response recommending that these actions could not be accomplished, city staff would investigate the feasibility of a pilot program, from July to October this year, to retain a private security firm to monitor the situations of panhandling and drug dealing in the downtown area and report any concerning actions to Barrie police to address. This plan includes security personnel wearing attire that is non-threatening or invasive.
Staff would also look at the costs of establishing this program and report back to Barrie councillors before summer recess begins in July.
McCann was in downtown Barrie last week doing a survey on ‘Is Downtown Barrie Safe and Inviting’. Its purpose is to let city council know how store owners, shoppers and residents feel about the state of the downtown.
‘Yes’ or ‘No’ questions include the level of downtown safety, is there increasing drug use and prostitution, should there be more police presence, do police need more resources, should panhandling be stopped and are there too many social services in the core.
McCann said last week he hoped to speak with “a couple of hundred” people before Monday night’s general committee meeting.
He did not mention the petition at Monday’s meeting.
