North Perth Passes Motion Supporting “Solve the Crisis” Campaign

North Perth, November 4, 2024 – The Council of the Municipality of North Perth demonstrated its commitment to tackling the growing mental health, addictions, and homelessness crisis by passing a motion at the regular council meeting on October 21, 2024. The motion aligns North Perth with the “Solve the Crisis” campaign, initiated by Ontario’s Big City Mayors (OBCM), emphasizing the urgent need for action from provincial and federal governments.

Mayor Todd Kasenberg spoke on the urgency of the situation: "Being a municipal elected official, I have a seat a bit closer to the ice surface than many on the significant issues facing not just our community, but all communities. While the Solve the Crisis initiative was launched and is being sustained by Ontario's Big City Mayors, the problems on which they are inviting action are our problems too. Housing affordability and homelessness are near the top of our list of issues. Our platform for those living with mental health compromises is in some ways less rich because we are a small community, with services either missing or located in the cities - meaning travel elsewhere. Our public transit sits on shaky ground - and in my opinion is a needed piece of the puzzle for helping those who need supports. And all of these issues could be better addressed if the provincial and federal governments dealt with their responsibilities for these matters. We need partners who step up and help overloaded municipalities deal with the unfortunate realities of people who are hurting and homeless in our communities. We need dedication from Ontario to solve the crisis."

The motion passed by North Perth Council shows the Municipality’s support of the OBCM and other municipalities, highlighting the need for governmental intervention to manage the strain on local resources. Municipal leaders stress the need for strategic investment and policies integrating housing, mental health, and addiction services to support vulnerable populations. The solutions to the issues at hand must come from collaborative efforts that extend beyond the capacity of individual municipalities.

For further details about the “Solve the Crisis” campaign, visit www.solvethecrisis.ca.

For more information, please contact:

Kriss Snell, Chief Administrative Officer
Municipality of North Perth
ksnell@northperth.ca
519-291-2950

North Perth Passes Motion Supporting “Solve the Crisis” Campaign