Mat Siscoe says all levels of government are failing the city
A dire picture has been painted by the Mayor of St. Catharines concerning homelessness, mental health and addictions in city parks and the downtown.
Mat Siscoe brought the issue up at the Niagara Region's latest public health and social services meeting, to talk about things that are impacting the city.
He mentioned the new self cleaning washroom at Geneva Street and Niagara Street, citing it as a major example.
"With respect to that washroom in the last week, we've had 5 different individuals try to shelter inside of it. They've tried to pull apart chunks of the electrical in the building. The toilet has been plugged regularly, as I said, feces smeared on the walls. The NRP [Niagara Regional Police] has been a regular visitor."
Siscoe also noted that there has been a lot of drug use in the open at several parks and in the downtown area, as well as people having sex in open areas.
He adds business owners have been assaulted.
"We're starting to hear from the banks in our downtown that they're contemplating leaving the area, most have hired security. They are losing their contract cleaners to clean up the vestibule areas because of what's being left there. There's aggressive pan handling going on in the downtown."
Siscoe said these issues should be considered mental health problems, not criminal activity, and creating more affordable housing would help.
"We know part of the solution is housing. We can wrap a lot of services around people if we can get them into safe, stable housing."
He also said all levels of government are failing the community, and need to band together.
Earlier this year, the Niagara Region declared a mental health and addictions state of emergency.
Niagara Region Concludes Toronto Meetings
Gates Calling for MRI Wait Time Reduction
OPP Ready to Keep Roads/Water Safe
PM Challenged to Cut Gas Taxes for Summer
Hoverlink Signs Lease Agreement
Tory MP Listening for Housing Solutions
NRP Citizen's Police Academy to Start
Meet Police at NRP Open House