After declaring State of Emergency in 2023, it's pressing the province again for help
A frustrated Niagara regional council has voted to keep pressuring the provincial government for more help to address the homelessness crisis, as well as find gaps in the system that cause people to fall through the cracks.
A number of advocates spoke before council last week, including Alicia Googoo, who lived on the streets years ago.
She says there's over 300 tents in the region, with not enough shelter beds. "Compounding this crisis is the cost of living. A single rented room can cost around $1,000 a month, while a shared room is often $900... completely out of reach for who is struggling. On top of that, most landlords refuse to rent to transient people."
The region is pushing harder since it already declared a State of Emergency in 2023, which opens it up to receive provincial help.
Councillor Joyce Morocco pointed out the problem is getting worse.
She stressed everyone at the region is trying their best to solve this. "There's things that we can't deal with, that are beyond what our staff are able to deal with in our community. There's not enough money, we shouldn't have encampments, we shouldn't have shelters, people need to be housed. Those individuals are those that need the long term care."
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