City of Waterloo Council Summary September 16, 2024

** The council summary below provides a snapshot of the major items presented at Monday’s council meeting. The council meeting webcast is available on the City of Waterloo YouTube page. Please refer to the minutes for an official record of the meeting.

City of Waterloo supports ‘Solve the Crisis’ campaign, seeking provincial and federal support to address housing, mental health and addictions

Mayor McCabe brought forward a motion that calls on provincial and federal governments to commit to immediate action to solve the humanitarian crisis that Ontario is facing as the numbers of unhoused individuals and those suffering with mental health and addictions grows exponentially. The motion, unanimously approved by Council, affirms the City of Waterloo’s support for the Ontario’s Big City Mayors Solve the Crisis Campaign. The campaign asks that the provincial and federal governments provide adequate, sufficient and sustainable funding to ensure that municipalities have the tools and resources to support individuals suffering with mental health and addictions, including unhoused people and those from vulnerable populations that may be disproportionately impacted.

The Waterloo motion acknowledges that some funding has been provided by provincial and federal governments, but municipalities and regions continue to step up and work with community partners to put in place community-specific solutions to address this crisis, while lacking the expertise, capacity, or resources to address the increasingly complex health care and housing issues. In addition to funding, the City of Waterloo motion is also asking that the province appoint a single Minster or Ministry as a single point of contact to address the full spectrum of housing needs as well as mental health, addictions and wrap around supports.

The City of Waterloo Council invites residents across the City and Region of Waterloo to add their support and appeal to the provincial and federal governments for support by visiting SolveTheCrisis.ca.

-30-

Media contact:

Cari Van Niekerk
Director, Corporate Communications
cari.vanniekerk@waterloo.ca