Peterborough’s mayor has issued a statement regarding a call from two councillors to use ‘Strong Mayor Powers’ to immediately open a temporary shelter for those impacted by housing challenges.
The letter from Councillor Keith Riel and Councillor Alex Bierk was released on Wednesday, citing the need to help 50-to-70 individuals who continue to live without shelter. In the letter, both councillors say the barriers to help remain a ‘lack of political will’ and the ‘necessary funding’ to implement additional support.
Mayor Jeff Leal the call to declare a homelessness emergency and to use Strong Mayor Powers as a way to immediately create 60 additional shelter spaces is a ‘misguided approach’.
Here is the complete statement:
Communities across Canada and throughout Ontario are experiencing a humanitarian crisis from a substantial increase in homelessness. Peterborough is no exception. A recent report from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) shows that homelessness across the province has increased by 25% since 2022.
I have stated publicly many times, and AMO’s report makes clear, that municipalities are not equipped to address homelessness and its related health care, mental health, addiction, and housing issues. Our ability as municipalities to fund these services out of property tax revenue, which is based on property assessment rather than ability to pay, is limited. Municipalities are collectively appealing to the province and the federal government to put a greater focus on this crisis that is affecting individuals, families and
communities.
But the City of Peterborough, and this Council, have taken significant action to help some of the most vulnerable in our community. The need is truly great.
Between 2024 and 2025, in one year alone, we are more than doubling the City’s funding toward homelessness prevention programs to increase support to our emergency shelters, expand drop-in space hours of operation, and enhance services.
The overall cost of the City’s Homeless Prevention Program will increase to about $8.4 million in 2025 from almost $6.9 million in 2024, with the City’s share of those costs more than doubling from $1.2 million in 2024 to more than $2.6 million in 2025. The Province’s contribution to shelters and drop-in spaces for homelessness services is increasing to $5.6 million from $5.4 million, which doesn’t include its substantial funding for the 50-unit Modular Bridge Housing Community.
In terms of shelter spaces, our community supports 127 shelter and drop-in centre beds provided in partnership with community agencies. That is among the highest per-capita provision of shelter beds in the Province.
Even with that investment in emergency shelters, the beds are often full, especially in the winter. And when we do have spaces available, there is tenting in our parks as people may choose to not access shelter, or they may not be able to access shelter for a variety of reasons, such as addictions or mental health. There are still people in our community who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
Beyond shelter services, the City financially supports more than 2,000 affordable and social housing units as well as various other homeless and housing support services in the community.
I express my sincere appreciation and gratitude to Councillor Alex Bierk and Councillor Keith Riel who serve as homelessness portfolio co-chairs on Council.
Their call to declare a homelessness emergency and to use Strong Mayor Powers as a way to immediately create 60 additional shelter spaces is, however, a misguided approach.
The City of Peterborough is already under a declared homelessness emergency and has been since October 2022 when it was issued by former Mayor Diane Therrien. The declaration was officially filed with the Province and remains in place. Declaring an emergency does not necessarily provide additional support from the province or federal government.
My understanding as Mayor is that Strong Mayor Powers provided by the Province are to be utilized specifically for the building of housing – the powers do not encompass the provision of temporary shelter.
Councillor Bierk and Councillor Riel stated they have been pushing for an action plan since late summer, yet they did not put forward a motion at the Council table to add additional shelter space to the Winter Response Program, which they championed in its creation and this Council approved in May 2023.
That Winter Response Plan led to the opening of the One City daytime and overnight drop-in program and the building of the 50-unit Modular Bridge Housing Community. In November 2024, Council supported a motion from Councillor Riel, by a 9 to 1 vote, to increase funding to expand the hours for the One City drop-in space program.
I agree that we should do whatever we can to provide shelter space for individuals experiencing homelessness, but that needs to be decided on by a majority of the members of Council. City Council decides how much to invest in homelessness services as it considers the various needs in our community.
This Council is now, this year, more than doubling the City’s investment in the City’s Homeless Prevention Program for shelter services and drop-in centre spaces.
