In the first in a series of questions posed to council candidates, we asked the following question: What can council do to help turn the tide on the city’s fight with drug addiction? Here are the answers.
William McPhee Ward 1
I think that we need to work with agencies like the Canadian Mental Health Association, to promote their services.
A recovery facility is planned for the Sault and I think that is a good start.
We need programs that will help people even after they get out of the recovery facility.
We also have to reach out to the provincial government to get more funding for this type of service.
Sonny Spina Ward 1
This is one of the most significant issues facing our community and it will take the entire community working together to address it.
Everyone in our community has been affected by this issue and I have seen the struggles families face first hand.
I know that while service providers are doing an amazing job, they need us to provide them the support and tools they need to continue their great work.
Options like supervised injections sites can help those struggling with addictions. However, a safe injection site must also have services connected to it so that those using the site can also be provided a safe accessible path to recovery.
We must use the same approach with treatment facilities. Any treatment facility we build must also be connected with resources and services to provide those struggling with addictions a safe place to learn life skills, get job training and find housing support while they are recovering.
In short, we cannot force those struggling with addictions into treatment. What we can do is provide them with safe accessible paths to recovery and let them know that we will be there to support them when they are ready to pursue it.
Sandra Hollingsworth Ward 1
As a registered nurse I’ve been at the bedside of those with drug addiction and have a close person in my life that has gone through withdrawal treatment. I am concerned.
Council has initiated the CMHC (Canadian Mental Health Association) Downtown Ambassador Program and the Community Wellness bus which I like to see expanded.
These two programs have shown positive results. However, transitional recovery apartment type housing is needed to be part of the new withdrawal management centre.
Since 2018 I have been influencing the key members of the Sault Area Hospital (SAH) to incorporate a two phase recovery program that is 24/7.
A medical withdrawal centre is a start, however a 24/7 support residential housing program is a much needed second step for a full recovery. Fresh Start Recovery Centre of Alberta is a proven model. The model focuses on giving a full circle of 24/7 in house support to recovering people, allowing them to transition into fully independent living.
The Alberta program is a real home atmosphere with round the clock counselling, workshops to re-build lost life skills, support for families and continued treatment. If re-elected I will continue to build on the steps already taken to help individuals with drug addiction. Helping those with drug addiction is vital, however we must also provide caring support to the families as well.
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Luke Dufour Ward 2
Council itself cannot do very much to help fight drug addiction but the Boards that Council appoints can help.
We need more critical, engaged and passionate councillors serving on the Social Services Board to continue to build a resilient housing and homelessness system.
While we cannot control the health care system, which is ultimately where addiction services are funded from, we can build the infrastructure needed to support people in their journey to recovery and we can keep vulnerable people housed so that they do not fall into addiction.
Council can find ways to help fund supportive housing in our community which will help to lessen the effects of mental health and addiction in our neighbourhoods.
Nick Armstrong Ward 2
Council can execute on everything within their power to;
- work with federal government on funding support
- work with civil society groups, public health units, harm reduction organizations, and local law enforcement on the delivery of; prevention, treatment, and harm reduction programs
It’s important council considers local city specifics and its unique issues so that the delivery on fighting drug addiction can be specific to our community.
Some of the following needs to be factored into this approach to be effective;
- Understanding and addressing root causes to drug addiction; i.e what is causing it? drug availability, health issue a factor in addiction,. family issues, housing stability, education, employment etc.
- Addressing the needs of at-risk populations
If we can't understand the cause/s, we can't fix the problem.
This is a complex problem.
For example, a study was conducted on overdoses to opioid-related drug use deaths in Ontario 2020. 30% of all employed individuals who overdosed were construction workers.
The solutions will be comprehensive, will require collaboration, will require compassion, and will have to be evidence based.
Lisa Vezeau-Allen Ward 2
As a council representative it is our ability to support agencies and initiatives who address and service those suffering from addiction and in many instances both mental health and homelessness.
Most recently Councilor Dufour and I penned a motion to expand the scope of the Downtown Ambassador program which is a collaborative effort with both City of Sault Ste Marie and the Canadian Mental Health Association, and provides outreach workers in our downtown core to help our most vulnerable.
We have and will continue as Mayor and Council to address our policy makers, ministers and provincial and federal representatives as to our needs for increased addiction supports in our community.
We also need to ensure that our shelter system is able to meet the demand and have addiction workers available, this can only happen if our District Social Services Board is well funded.
Investment in these agencies and initiatives are critical and we need to be aware and champion the many volunteers, front-line workers and grass roots organizations that are actively serving our community who suffer from addiction.
Dennis Murphy Ward 2
First of all, my heart goes out to all those individuals who are living with a drug addiction and my condolences to the many families who have lost a loved one to addiction.
Our first step, as a city, is we must admit that we are in crisis. We need to act now. This issue cannot be put on the backburner any longer.
Enact the city’s Emergency Management Program.
The Committee includes the Mayor, two council members (preferably from the downtown core) Police and Fire Chief, CAO, Medical Officer of Health for Algoma Public Health, Sault Area Hospital, Ambulance, Emergency Management Coordinator.
I would also include the MP and MPP for Sault Ste Marie (for access to Provincial and Federal funding) as well as representatives from Social Services and community organizations that are stepping up to help in the fight including SOYA, Soup Kitchen, Jamestown Strong, Vincent Place and the Salvation Army to name a few.
If the City can prioritize pushing to build a $12 million dollars Downtown Plaza, surely they can make the same effort to turn the tide on the fight against addiction.
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Angela Caputo Ward 3
City councillors should be using their voices to amplify the need for funding here in Sault Ste. Marie.
We need to ensure that our elected provincial and federal representatives are working to get us financial assistance for the mental health and addictions resources that we so desperately need. Council and mayor are elected officials who should be representing and speaking for the needs of constituents and advocating for the health and safety of our community.
The best and most important thing I think we can do as a municipal governing body is to engage our youth.
We need more youth hubs, clean parks and free programming for youth development to lead our children to making healthy choices for their futures.
Giving vulnerable youth the skills and confidence to pursue healthy avenues and showing that those are attainable for them is paramount. Ensuring that all youth are active and engaged means we are enriching our future as a city while also ensuring the safety of those children and our future community.
As a Council, we should also be closely examining the implementation of a safe consumption site here in The Sault.
Ron Zagordo Ward 3
I truly believe that the road to assisting those with drug addictions begins with hope and support. Consequently, one of city council’s goals must be to assist families struggling with mental health and addictions in order to improve the quality of life for every community member.
Well being, access to help and safety are the three areas on which we must be focused. Our city should be a place where support and inclusivity thrive.
A more robust education about the perils of addiction needs to be injected into schools and the broader community. All too often, because of a profound lack of understanding, people ignore and are often insensitive to those suffering from mental health and addiction. “Knowledge is power”.
Also, mental health and addiction services (counselling, treatment and family resources) should form an alliance so that we approach providing support in a much more concerted manner.
Finally, we need to strengthen existing crisis support by addressing how we respond to people and families in crisis.
A community-minded approach across the spectrum; one with understanding, compassion and respect, needs to come to fruition before any real change can occur in Sault Ste. Marie
Kurtis McDermid Ward 3
Treating the crises that our city faces is a massive undertaking spanning all levels of government. Too often conversations turn to larger overarching conversations surrounding root causes and solutions that require years, other levels of government and massive funds. The conversations turn away from the immediate need to mitigate and minimize the collateral damage the crises are causing to our community. This is where the municipal government should step in and shine.
We need good old fashioned manpower, right here and now.
-Graffiti/Vandalism control
-Litter cleanup
-Needle cleanup
-Property standards enforcement specifically on absentee landlords
-Services to help tenants navigate the Landlord Tenant Act to stop wrongful evictions, unsafe housing and tenants ending up on the streets.
We can’t have needles and vandalism where kids play, we can’t have businesses bear the brunt of becoming trash bins for needles, we can’t have homeowners worried about safety in their own backyards, and we can't have citizens living in dilapidated houses.
We need to be safe from immediate hazards and stay clean/maintained while the overarching problems are tackled.
A cleaner, safer, more presentable city will not fix the crisis but it will improve quality of life for everyone and it is immediate, actionable and affordable.
Luis Moreno Ward 3
To prevent more drug poisoning and overdose deaths, we need to take serious action. We need to work collaboratively with all elected officials from all levels of government, Indigenous communities, grassroots organizations and community partners to de-stigmatize mental health and substance use. I believe our City must adopt the following strategy:
1- The Mayor and City Council must declare a Public Health Emergency
2- Create a Mental Health and Addiction Task Force
3- Adopt a four-pillar approach: (a) Harm Reduction (b) Prevention (c) Treatment (d) Enforcement.
It’s time for new and innovative ideas to build a safe, livable, and thriving City for everyone. To learn more about my platform, please visit: www.luismoreno.ca
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Marchy Bruni Ward 4
We are all very well aware of the increased drug addiction in Sault Ste Marie especially in our downtown area. As a councillor along with the agreement of other city councillors, what I would like to propose and see implemented is a strategy with the collaboration with various stakeholders which would include:
- Sault Ste Marie Police Force
- Sault Ste Marie Chamber of Commerce
- The Sault Ste Marie Downtown Association
- Canadian Mental Health Association
- Social Services – Outreach Assistance
This strategy would include a variety of initiatives to address the concerns and the cleanliness and safety of our downtown area. With the new downtown plaza being built we need to ensure all areas of downtown are safe for visitors.
Some initiatives would include the following:
- Police Enforcement – constant parole of the downtown area
- Security - Have a dedicated area and a team for security purposes
- Clean up – A service to help combat needle and drug debris issues and clean up the streets from this debris
- Outreach – A service that can assist the homeless and who are experiencing mental health issues and drug addiction.
- City Department – To engage the City of Sault Ste Marie various departments to address keeping the downtown clean and safe.
Of course this initiative would need city council's approval, but this is something I would propose and see implemented in the near future.
Marek McLeod Ward 4
Having worked with vulnerable populations at Ontario Aboriginal Housing Services, particularly those facing homelessness which sees a high amount of substance abuse, I understand the issue more than most.
Social services in our community provide fantastic programming and assistance to those who currently are battling addiction. I spoke with Colette Linden at SaultOnline about the need for a “Housing First” strategy to tackle this issue.
Housing first is an approach that gives people with substance abuse issues stability in their lives, often times there’s a lack of constancy that drives these people to not have long term planning in simple things such as housing which can vary from day to day.
Housing First allows us to rationalize folks into slowing down, and providing them with healthcare, therapists, and other essential services such as food and hygiene that is needed for recovery.
Once someone has accepted help, it’s much easier to then get them in the queue for rehabilitation or detox. Housing first works, and housing first must be expanded if we are to tackle this substance abuse problem.
From there we can get them independent with job training or education so they can earn money and own their own home. That’s the way forward!
If you’d like to know more feel free to reach out at marekmcleod@gmail.com or call/text me at 705-975-3662.
David Celetti Ward 4
This is a very complex question … It requires involvement of both federal and provincial help.
Not just for the Sault, but for all Canada.
There is a dire need for doctors, nurses, counsellors , people in the mental health field and many other qualified people needed to help these people to get off the opioids and meth - not to mention the enormous amount of resources needed for help.
Doctors, nurses and everyone in the health care system who are highly skilled in getting people off these drugs and being functional back in society. This issue goes hand in hand with homeless people and have nowhere to turn. Treatment is an ongoing thing and takes a very long time. Please read an article in The Globe and Mail titled The Timmins Tag team: when opioids and official inaction were killing people, the doctors featured in the article pushed for life saving changes.
Stephan Kinach Ward 4
The Soo should learn from other municipalities who are trying different approaches to fight substance addiction.
For example, Sudbury is now applying to the federal and provincial governments for funding to implement their Community Drug Strategy Action Plan.
Of the Nine Key Priorities in Sudbury’s plan, I believe four are universal to every city and should be applied in the Soo:
· All people in the city should have access to safe, appropriate and affordable shelter and housing. People with safe, affordable housing have fewer health problems including substance abuse problems.
· All levels of government should set public policy and determine spending priorities that support optimal health for all citizens. Removing conditions that make people turn to substance abuse as a solution and emphasizing harm reduction over enforcement has been proven to work.
· People who use substances should have optimal physical, social, emotional, mental and spiritual health. Removing the fear of arrest, judgment or stigma will mean more substance abusers coming forward to seek help.
· People with substance addictions can get well. With the proper supports, they can become employed and tax paying members of our city.
With a progressive council, Sault Ste Marie can also create an action plan built on the best practices and successes of other cities. From there we can begin to end the opioid crisis.
More info at www.kinachward4.ca
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Martin Poirier Ward 5
This is first a health issue, and a city is limited in what it can do.
Where we can have an impact is on social housing and homelessness programs. It is harder to turn the corner on drug addictions without a roof.
DSSMSSAB staff is no doubt doing its best. A majority of its board is made up of our city’s councillors. Why is it hoarding so much cash?
There is more than $10M in cash readily available in DSSMSAB that is sleeping and could be used to build and provide more services.
The mandate for our next councillors going on that board should be to spend all the money that is destined for housing services, not to make more than $4.7M surplus on this like in 2021 (surplus was $4.2M in 2020). Perhaps we could add social resources to help those afflicted with drug issues and homelessness instead of booking huge surpluses with the money destined exactly for that?
To really turn the tide, prevention will be key. I like the idea of organizing a day of action on drugs. We should target the youth and bring on board our education system and our community: prevention is better than curing.
Matthew Scott Ward 5
There are a few different ways city council could help turn the tide on the fight with drug addiction, many of which we have begun to undertake already.
A collaborative and holistic approach to this issue is absolutely paramount. We need to ensure that our District Social Service Administration Board, our Emergency Services, and our local partner advocacy groups are all working together to offer support at every step of the way. Recently our DSSAB provided an outline of what they would need to help fight homelessness and addictions which would be a fantastic starting point from the city and DSSAB.
Ensuring that our emergency services have input on their pieces of the issue will boost our chances for success since they are often a first point of contact. Working together with social workers and mental health professionals allows our first responders to be fully equipped for success when dealing with these challenges. Bringing in the local advocacy groups is an important part of the solution as they will be one of our strongest allies. These groups are made up of families, friends, survivors, and so many more who can bring much needed perspective to the roots of the problems.
Additionally, we need to lobby higher levels of government for added support.
This is a fight that is happening across the country, though it may be particularly difficult in Northern Ontario. I have spoken with our MPP about these challenges and will continue to advocate for the additional supports needed. Working together with provincial and federal governments is in everyone's best interest and over these last four years I have built strong relationships with representatives of both.
It won't be easy, but if it were then we would already have the solution in place. I know we have the means to fight this in Sault Ste. Marie and I believe we can win it.
Corey Gardi Ward 5
There is no doubt that the opioid epidemic has ravaged communities across North America, and we see and feel the impact of it here in the Sault.
In order to combat the crisis we have to take a whole community approach, with healthcare professionals and organizations taking the lead, assisted by social service groups, supported fully by the mayor and city council. It is my opinion that this is the approach that we have taken thus far over the last term of council.
Some of the things we have done, and can improve upon, is getting assistance to those struggling where they are, and doing what we can so that other resources in the community don't get overwhelmed when they require assistance, often many times, repeatedly over the course of hours or days. Through some forward thinking efforts by way of the District of Sault Ste. Marie Social Services Administration Board we have seen this happen, and there are more efforts underway that the community will see soon that will result in a lot of proactive measures happening out around the city.
We also have to continue to lobby both the federal and provincial governments for more assistance, the resources provided to date have simply been inadequate. Though soon, we will have some treatment up at the old Sault Star building, the number of beds being provided is almost equivalent to those we had in the community decades ago, when we were not dealing with a problem as severe or pervasive as what we face today. We must also remember that those beds will not only service just the Sault and area, but will be part of the entire provincial network.
Through our local members of Parliament, Terry Sheehan and Provincial Parliament Ross Romano, we have to work with the respective Ministers Dr. Bennet and Mr. Tibolo to ensure we have a more robust and meaningful response to the problem here in Sault Ste. Marie. It is a fact, that the problem in Northern Ontario is more acute than in other parts of the Province, the Feds and Province have to fully appreciate that, to date, I argue, they have not.
We also need to tackle homelessness far more aggressively, as the problems often go hand in hand. I am confident that the community will see a much more coherent and sustained effort in this regard in the coming months.
Gideon Down Ward 5
City council does not need to recreate the wheel on drug addiction treatment. It is well known what works, and what doesn't. The new withdrawal center is but a fraction of the entire scope of treatment.
We have a local organization that has been dealing with drug addiction in young men, and fine tuning the drawn out process to complete recovery, called Teen Challenge.
If this local treatment center was given use of a portion of the funding provided, and the new center was specific to women, you would double the treatment capability, and have what I believe would be fruitful results.
Teen Challenge would know exactly what to do, and how to do it efficiently, and they know what works, and it is a good place to start as a local resource.